Dr Brian Jack

I currently teach on W330: European Union Law and W350: Exploring Legal Boundaries.

I obtained my law degree from the University of East Anglia before qualifying and practising as a solicitor in private practice in Northern Ireland. During this time, I got bitten by the EU bug and left practice to become a mature student and complete an LLM in European Legal Studies at the University of Exeter. This in turn led to PhD research at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth (as it was then called). My research examined the integration of EU Environmental Law within agricultural law and policy. My monograph, Agriculture and EU Environmental Law, was published by Ashgate Publishing in 2009. 

I worked as a full time academic in higher education for twenty-five years, principally in the School of Law at Queen’s University, Belfast. As a Senior Lecturer, I co-ordinated and delivered undergraduate and postgraduate teaching across a broad range of modules in both European Union law and Environmental law as well as supervising undergraduate and postgraduate research projects in a wide range of subject areas. I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. 

I stepped down from my role at Queen’s University in September 2021 and was pleased to join the Open University. Tutoring at the OU enables me to combine my passion for teaching with my own caring responsibilities I particularly enjoy supporting students and helping them to succeed in their studies and overcome the challenges that life invariably throws up.

Away from the OU I enjoy dabbling in creative writing. I am also a keen runner. I coach my local running club and I am the club’s Safeguarding Officer. I am a session ticket holder with Ulster Rugby. I’m an optimist by nature- maybe this will be our season…