Paul Gormley B.A., J.D., LP.D.

Paul R. Gormley received his Juris Doctor degree from New England Law in Boston in 1996, and his doctorate in Law & Policy from Northeastern University in 2012. He previously held faculty positions at North Shore Community College and the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.

His experience during law school includes work at the Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board on a decision involving grand jury secrecy in tax prosecutions and at the Office of Essex County District Attorney on civil forfeitures in illegal drug distribution cases as well clerking & practicing in an office focusing on murder and drug distribution defense. He opened his own office and practiced law for nearly twenty years focusing on representing indigent criminal defendants, individuals with mental health issues, and convicted sex offenders before the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board. Based on his experience in legal practice, his doctoral research focused on defense counsel and issues of effective representation of mentally ill criminal defendants.

Since joining academe Gormley has given numerous presentations at conferences on issues of criminal justice, academic assessment, and student writing development. He has provided training sessions on diverse topics including academic assessment by college faculty, effective representation of sex offenders in classification hearings for defense counsel, and supervision of cybercrime offenders by probation officers.

• B.A., Lesley University
• J.D., New England Law
• LP.D., Northeastern University

As an educator, Paul Gormley views every aspect of teaching as a form of engagement. The educator has a responsibility to develop, deliver, and support effective content. The student has an opportunity to draw from personal experience - the teacher can engage the student through the use of personal experiences to illustrate conceptual issues. Incorporating the combination of personal experience and concepts of criminal justice, all phases touching on society and individuals every day, generates an understanding giving each student a functioning grasp of both the pedagogy and practical issues. This empowerment, understanding the surrounding world and its societal structures, leads students to awareness of personal abilities, responsibilities, and opportunities to effect positive change personally, professionally, and globally. When students realize their individual power and ability to excel in their personal and professional lives, they grow into the citizens that move our society forward. Personal and professional engagement leads to successful stewardship in the generations that follow.

As a concept and social philosophy, criminal justice draws on a broad range of social and scientific disciplines. This wide scope of conceptual materials allows Gormley to highlight many other academic areas for teaching and conceptual exploration. Gormley seeks to provide students an environment that fosters learning, cultivates personal growth, and challenges them to think critically about issues of crime and justice. This approach, based on the liberal arts model, allows students to build a strong foundation to examine and consider issues and prepares them for professional employment in a variety of settings.

• Criminal law
• Criminal procedure
• Mental health and crime
• Technology in criminal justice
• Prosecution and defense functions
• Public policy
• Economics and criminal justice