Dr. Natalie Kyneswood

Biography

Natalie Kyneswood is a Wellcome Trust Early-Career Fellow at the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS), where she serves as the Principal Investigator on a Wellcome-funded project titled 'Care Courtroom: Trauma-informed Specialist Courts Medicalisation Justice'. This interdisciplinary project, set to commence in January 2025, focuses on the integration of trauma-informed care and neuroscience into courtroom practices, specifically concerning trial procedures and support systems for victims of sexual violence. Kyneswood's research has involved empirical and qualitative analyses, particularly in the context of the Specialist Sexual Violence Support (SSVS) project within the courts of England and the establishment of a trauma-informed Sexual Offences Court in Scotland. Her work stems from her ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship, completed in 2024, which built upon her doctoral research regarding the use of pre-recorded cross-examination for 'intimidated' witnesses in sexual offence cases. Additionally, Kyneswood has engaged with the Ministry of Justice and the Scottish Government on implementing these changes in legal practice. Holding an MSc in Socio-Legal Studies with Distinction from the University of Bristol, and an ESRC-funded PhD from the University of Warwick, she has also contributed as a Senior Editor for the CSLS Frontiers in Socio-Legal Studies blog. Her research interests are centered on feminist legal studies, access to justice, and the intersection of law and technology in the context of serious sexual offences.

Research Interests