Helena Kennedy is one of Britain's most distinguished lawyers. She has spent her professional life giving voice to those who have least power within the system, championing civil liberties and promoting human rights.

She has used many public platforms – including the House of Lords, to which she was elevated in 1997 – to argue with passion, wit and humanity for social justice. She has also written and broadcast on a wide range of issues, from medical negligence to terrorism to the rights of women and children.

Currently chair of Inquiry for the Equality and Human Rights Commission on Human Trafficking in Scotland and a member of the Government Commission on a British Bill of Rights.

President of the School of Oriental and African Studies, she has recently been elected Principal of Mansfield College, Oxford.

Helena Kennedy has acted in many of the prominent cases of the last three decades. She was the Chair of Charter 88 and Chair of the Power Inquiry which reported on British democracy.

She has received many honours, nationally and internationally, for her work on the Rule of Law.

Nicola has been Chief Executive of Universities UK since September 2009. Universities UK is the representative organisation for the UK’s universities.

Founded in 1918, UUK now has 133 members and offices in London, Cardiff and Edinburgh. Its mission is to be the definitive voice for all universities in the UK, promoting the strength and success of UK universities nationally and internationally.

Nicola was previously Chief Executive of Equality Challenge Unit, the higher education agency which promotes equality and diversity for staff and students in higher education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Formerly a partner and head of equality at Thompsons Solicitors, the UK’s largest firm of solicitors acting for the trade union and labour movement, Nicola qualified as a lawyer in England and initially worked in the City specialising in industrial relations, before qualifying in Scotland and working in Glasgow for 10 years.

She has published numerous books and articles on equality and the law, and has also worked for the European Commission on equality initiatives in Europe. She was educated at the Oxford, London Metropolitan and Glasgow universities.

Liam, who grew up in Fife where he attended Glenrothes College, graduated in Physics at Heriot-Watt University, where he was both the Students' Association Vice-President (Education & Welfare) and subsequently President. 

He went on to be elected as Depute President and President of NUS Scotland, before subsequently being elected as NUS UK President for 2011/12.

Liam has been an Officer within the European Students' Union and has been involved in Quality Assurance processes both on a national and European level through QAA, ENQA and EQAR.

As President of NUS, Liam is responsible for leading on the organisations Priority campaign, calling for reinvestment of public funding in tertiary education and an end to the current tuition fees regime. NUS itself in a confederation of over 200 students' unions across the UK and represents over seven million students. It works to promote, defend and extend students rights as well as promoting strong and active students' unions.