Alasdair is a trainee at Matrix. He has a First Class degree in law from the University of Oxford. He was awarded a Thouron scholarship to undertake an LL.M. at the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated top of his class, specialising in international law, comparative constitutional law and administrative law. During his LL.M. he was a researcher for the British Institute of International and Comparative Law (analysing US media as part of a project on human rights and democratisation in Iran), worked on immigration cases and an application to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights concerning the rights of undocumented migrant workers, and taught an undergraduate course in comparative politics.
Following his LL.M., Alasdair was a research fellow for the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law in Washington DC, which promotes an enabling legal environment for civil society and public participation worldwide. He contributed to the first draft of a textbook on international civil society law. Following this, Alasdair worked for International Justice Mission in Kigali, Rwanda. He assisted investigation and advocacy efforts in cases of land rights violations and sexual violence against children; as well as helping to design legal training materials for local officials and liaising with other NGOs and government. He also acted as a consultant to the Rwandan Government on the revision of their legislation regulating the third sector.
Alasdair was awarded a Princess Royal scholarship by the Inner Temple and completed his BVC at BPP Law School. He is particularly interested in ensuring accountability and transparency in the relationship between citizens and the state, and in the interplay between law, politics and economics. He also has a keen interest in international law and in particular the role of law in development and the protection of freedom of assembly and association.