As part of this initiative, David Humphreys, a Senior Associate in DWF's ICE team and Ulster University alumnus from the class of 2013, recently delivered six weeks of teaching to postgraduate students. The sessions focused on the fundamentals of construction law, exploring key themes such as standard form contracts, payment, delay and disruption, contract administration, defects, and variations - all through the lens of ADR processes and real-world application through David's own experience of advising on domestic and international disputes.
The partnership reinforces DWF’s commitment to supporting the next generation of legal professionals by bridging the gap between academic theory and professional practice.
John Keers BL, Course Director for the LLM Programme at Ulster University, commented:
“This partnership with DWF brings exceptional value to our students. Exposure to current industry practices and insights from practitioners such as David enriches the academic experience and prepares our students for the realities of legal practice. This fits well with the overall ethos of both the Masters International Commercial Law and ADR and the School of Law at Ulster University.”
Commenting on the initiative, David said:
"It has been a privilege to return to Ulster, where my own legal career began, to contribute to the LL.M. programme and engage with such an enthusiastic and insightful group of students. At DWF, we’re passionate about fostering legal education that is both academically rigorous and commercially grounded. We look forward to developing this partnership further. I'm excited to see it continue to grow."
The partnership exemplifies the shared commitment of DWF and Ulster University to bridging academic study with industry experience, ensuring students are well-prepared for careers in international commercial law and dispute resolution.