Dr Rachel Hews

Biography

Current Role
I am a Senior Lecturer in the Law School at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). My principal research focus is on human-centered lawyering and legal design (law and design thinking). In both my teaching and research, my goal is to support students to develop the graduate skills and capabilities they need to build better legal futures.

Teaching Focus
I currently teach design thinking  in undergraduate law (legal design) as part of the Minor in Law, Technology and Innovation – see what my students have to say here. I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. In 2021, I was a finalist for the 2021 Australia Law Awards Academic of the Year. In 2020, I presented to an international audience in my QUT Virtual Masterclass: Law and Design Thinking (available on YouTube and YouKu in China). Attendees included prospective students, agents/partners, QUT staff and alumni, from Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, India and Taiwan. The course received outstanding feedback with 100% of attendees rating it as excellent or above average.


Research Interests
I investigate the evolving applications of law and design thinking as a transformative approach to legal problem-solving and innovation. As a human-centered methodology, design thinking fosters empathy, creativity, and collaboration, and is increasingly being recognised as a valuable tool for legal professionals seeking to address a range of complex legal challenges in novel ways.

My current research interests & ongoing projects relate to:

• law and design thinking, legal design & human-centred design
• legal futures & future of work
• legal education, including:
  
  • design thinking pedagogy, student engagement & curriculum;
  • creative confidence, thinking skills, alternative mindsets, building resilience, emotional intelligence & tackling a fear of failure; and
  • collaboration in multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary contexts.

My recently proposed projects for 2024 & beyond include:

• gamification in behavioural economics and design thinking;
• design thinking and embedding UN sustainability goals and reflective learning in core law curriculum; and
• generative AI and emerging technologies for legal service providers.

I am available to supervise research students in my fields of interest.

Qualifications
I completed my PhD in 2019. My research investigated the potential for jurors in high-profile criminal trials to be influenced by prejudicial publicity on social media: "Twitter Trials and Facebook Juries: An Analysis of the Australian Sub Judice Rule and the Regulation of Prejudicial Publicity on Social Media During High-Profile Criminal Trials". Since completing my PhD, I have developed a passion for law and design thinking, legal futures, and legal education.  My skills and experience with digital methods, social media, and criminal law have provided a valuable frame of reference for my teaching and research in these new areas. My other qualifications include:

• Solicitor (admitted to Supreme Court of Queensland)
• Graduate Diploma in Education (Senior Years) with Distinction (Legal Studies)
• Bachelor of Laws (Hons)
• Bachelor of Commerce (Management)
• Diploma of Policing
• Certificate IV in Training and Assessment

Background
Prior to working in academia, I was a teacher working in secondary education. Before that, I was an Australian Federal Police officer working in Sydney, Canberra and the Solomon Islands. I was the recipient of three medals for this work.

• Royal Solomon Islands Police Force International Law Enforcement Cooperation Medal [for her service as part of the RAMSI mission, in recognition of the sacrifices and risks taken in serving the Solomon Islands and its people, Australian Federal Police, RAMSI peacekeeping mission to the Solomon Islands, 2005]
• Police Overseas Service Medal [for her contribution to the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands in peacekeeping and major criminal investigations, Australian Federal Police, RAMSI peacekeeping mission to the Solomon Islands, 2005]
• ACT Emergency Medal [for her courage, leadership, teamwork, professionalism, innovation and integrity during a state of emergency, Australian Federal Police, Police Operations Centre, State of Emergency, Jan 2003 Canberra bushfires]