Doctoral candidate Sophie Henderson has been announced as the University of Auckland's Faculty of Law Doctoral Fellow for 2017.

Ms Henderson, 24, is from the United Kingdom and has a Bachelor of Laws and Masters of Criminal Law with Distinction from the University of Leeds.

Her doctoral thesis will examine the legal rights and protections in place for female migrant domestic workers from the Philippines and Sri Lanka. Having extensively travelled around Asia, Sophie chose to investigate workers from these two countries in particular as both states are a major source of female migrant domestic workers who are employed overseas.

Her doctorate, which will take three years to complete, is being supervised by Professor Jane Kelsey and Lecturer Dr Jane Norton.

Sophie formally begins her Fellowship on 6 March. During her doctoral studies she will also be employed as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for four hours a week in the School of Law.