Rate My Professor Alan Birbeck

Alan Birbeck is a Senior Lecturer and Deputy Head of the School of Law and Education at London South Bank University. He obtained a first-class LLB in Law from London South Bank University between 2000 and 2003, with a dissertation critically evaluating the human rights implications of drawing adverse inferences from silence in criminal cases. He then completed an MSc in Criminal Justice and Criminology at the University of Oxford in 2004-2005, averaging 66%, with a dissertation proposing reforms to the discretionary exclusion of improperly obtained evidence. Birbeck finished his Bar Professional Training Course at BPP in 2005-2006, rated outstanding in Criminal Litigation, and received the Sweet and Maxwell Prize along with an Exhibition Award from the Inner Temple. His early career involved defending suspects at police stations in South East London from 2001 to 2007. From 2006 to 2014, he maintained a full-time practice at the criminal bar, handling serious cases such as arson, blackmail, drugs importations, fraud, robbery, and violent and sexual offences, including defences involving abuse of process, bad character, and mental capacity issues. In 2014, he joined London South Bank University as a full-time lecturer specializing in Criminal Litigation, Evidence, and Public Law.

From 2016 to 2020, Birbeck served as Course Director for the Undergraduate Law programmes, fostering links between students, staff, and professional services. Since 2020, he has been the academic lead for undergraduate Criminal Litigation, postgraduate Criminal Law and Public Law, assessments, student skills, and support, as well as timetabling for 700 students and 25 staff. He led the Law Division's response to the global pandemic in 2020, transitioning to online teaching and achieving 95% student satisfaction in the National Student Survey. Birbeck orchestrated the student-led 'Inspired by Law' project to promote human rights, the rule of law, and access to the legal professions. He is an external examiner for the University of Law on Advocacy and Advanced Criminal Practice modules, provides feedback to publishers on key legal texts, and maintains an associate barrister practice. A Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, he is a member of the Inner Temple library committee, Criminal Bar Association, and South Eastern Circuit. His publications include the book Criminal Law, co-authored with Cameron Giles (CILEX Education, 2025), and the peer-reviewed conference paper 'Aspiring to Inspire: Student Engagement and Advocacy Teaching' (2016). He has presented at conferences including Nottingham Trent University's International Conference on Advocacy Teaching and Sheffield Hallam University.