Dr Emily Ottley
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About
Emily is a Fellow in Medical Law and joined LSE Law School in 2026. Prior to this, she was a Lecturer in Law at the University of Winchester. Emily is interested in how the law regulates access to medical treatment that is characterised as a moral issue and subject to conflicting strongly held views, especially abortion.
Emily holds a PhD from King’s College London. Her PhD explored how the law should address third-party interference with the implementation of the decision to continue or terminate a pregnancy. This project was funded by the King’s Law School Doctoral Research Studentship. The exceptional nature of the abortion decision emerged as a key idea from Emily’s PhD, and she is currently developing this into a monograph titled Abortion Exceptionalism Reimagined for publication with Hart. Much of Emily’s recent work has focussed on safe access zones for premises providing abortion services. Emily was commissioned to undertake an international comparison of safe access zones legislation for the Scottish Health, Social Care and Sport Committee as part of its scrutiny of the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill.
Emily is a Fellow of Advance HE and she has a Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education.
Research
Research Interests
Emily’s work considers how the law regulates access to medical treatment that is characterised as a moral issue and subject to conflicting strongly held views, especially abortion. This sits within the areas of Medical Law, Socio-Legal Studies, and Bioethics. Emily is particularly interested in exceptionalism, safe access, and third-party interference with decision-making.
Publications
Emily Ottley, ‘New Clause 1 and the politics of abortion law reform’ (2025) Medical Law International.
Emily Ottley and Sam Rowlands, ‘Would it be feasible for European Union countries to implement Safe Access Zones for premises providing abortions services?’ (2025) 30(2) The European Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care.
Emily Ottley and Lisa Cherkassky, ‘G v Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority [2024] EWHC 2453 (Fam): two distinct routes to posthumous fertility treatment’ (2025) 33(1) Medical Law Review.
Emily Ottley, ‘The Delicate Balance Struck by the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act 2024’ (2024) 32(4) Medical Law Review.
Emily Ottley, ‘Sally Sheldon, Gayle Davis, Jane O’Neill and Clare Parker, The Abortion Act 1967: A Biography of UK Law’ (2024) 32(2) Medical Law Review.
Emily Ottley, Karolina Szopa and Jamie Fletcher, ‘Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2024): consequences one year on’ (2023) 31(3) Medical Law Review.
Emily Ottley, ‘Reference by the Attorney General for Northern Ireland - Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Northern Ireland) Bill [2022]: the proportionality of safe access zone legislation’ (2023) 23(1) Medical Law International.
Emily Ottley, ‘Fixed Buffer Zone Legislation: A Proportionate Response to Demonstrations Outside Abortion Clinics in England and Wales?’ (2022) 30(3) Medical Law Review.
Emily Ottley, ‘Challenging Safe Access: What Ongoing Anti-Abortion Demonstrations Mean for the Practical Realisation for Safe Access Zones Laws in Great Britain’ (Verfassungsblog, 27 May 2025).
Emily Ottley, ‘Silent Prayer vs Safe Access: The UK’s Cautious Approach to the Regulation of Silent Prayer Outside Premises Providing Abortion Services’ (Verfassungsblog, 13 November 2024).
Emily Ottley, ‘International Comparison of Safe Access Zones Legislation’ (Scottish Parliament Information Centre, 12 February 2024).