Dr Katie McCay

My research considers what private law remedies are available for interference with intangibles. Digitalisation has changed ownership and control of personal assets, something which English law has struggled to properly address. Problems arise because English law relies extensively on possession as a proxy for ownership and intangibles cannot be possessed under English law. There are also questions about whether certain types of digital assets are property in the first place. 

My research considers the extent to which intangibles can be accommodated by existing private law remedies. It asks if the focus of remedies on property and possession is practically and theoretically defensible. This is because some types of commercially valuable intangible assets fall outside the scope of one or both of those criteria. It considers what changes, if any, would be desirable if current remedies do not adequately protect intangibles. 

In addition to my research, I teach a wide range of Private Law subjects at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including the Law of Contract, Commercial Law and Advanced Obligations.