People_
Dr Allan McCay
LLB (Hons) (Aberdeen), DLP (Edinburgh), G Dip Comm (UTS), PhD (Sydney)
Academic Fellow, Sydney Law School
Deputy Director, Sydney Institute of Criminology
Deputy Director, Sydney Institute of Criminology
Email
Address
F10 - Law School (Camperdown)
The University of Sydney
Websites
Dr Allan McCay is Deputy Director of The Sydney Institute of Criminology and an Academic Fellow at the University of Sydney's Law School. He coordinates the Legal Research units at the Sydney Law School, and lectures in Criminal Law. Allan trained as a solicitor in Scotland, practised as a commercial litigator in Hong Kong, and has also been admitted to practice in two Australian jurisdictions. Much of his work as focused on neuroscience, neurotechnology, and the criminal law. He is also interested in free will and punishment, ethical issues related to emerging neurotechnologies, and the future of legal work.
Dr McCay is President of the Institute of Neurotechnology and Law, and was named by Australasian Lawyer as one of the most influential lawyers of 2021 and again in 2023 for his work on neurotechnology and the law.He is a member of the Australian Human Rights Commission Expert Reference Group on Human Rights and Neurotechnology as well as being a member of Standards Australia’s Brain-computer Interface Committee.
He is also a member of the Law Society of New South Wales Taskforce on AI & other tools and trends shaping the legal profession and an Affiliate of Auckland University’s Natural, Artificial, and Organisation Intelligence Institute.
show more
show less
- Criminal law
- Free will and punishment
- Neuroscience, neurotechnology, and the law
- Artificial intelligence and the future of legal work
- Criminal law theory
- Legal Research
- Free will and punishment
- Neurolaw
Dr Allan McCay has been admitted as a legal practitioner in the following jurisdictions:
- Scotland
- Hong Kong
- New South Wales
- Tasmania
Selected publications
Neurointerventions and the Law: Regulating Human Mental Capacity
(Oxford University Press, 2020)
Free Will and the Law: New Perspectives
(Routledge, 2019)
next slide
previous slide
Publications
Expand all
Edited Books
- Vincent, N., Nadelhoffer, T., McCay, A. (2020). Neurointerventions and the Law: Regulating Human Mental Capacity. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [More Information]
- McCay, A., Sevel, M. (2019). Free Will and the Law: New Perspectives. Abingdon: Routledge. [More Information]
Book Chapters
- McCay, A. (2024). Neurotechnology and human rights in Chile: the Australian implications. In Moisés Sánchez; Ciro Colombara; Natalia Monti (Eds.), En Defensa de los Neuroderechos, (pp. 141-146). Hanga Roa, Chile: Kamanau.
- McCay, A. (2024). Neurotechnology and the insanity defence (forthcoming). In Crofts. T., Kennefick, L. and Loughnan, A. (Eds.), The Routledge International Handbook on Criminal Responsibility. London: Routledge.
- McCay, A. (2021). Behavioural Genetics and Sentencing. In Farah Focquaert, Elizabeth Shaw, and Bruce N. Waller (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of the Philosophy and Science of Punishment, (pp. 262-273). Milton Park: Routledge. [More Information]
- Vincent, N., Nadelhoffer, T., McCay, A. (2020). Law Viewed Through the Lens of Neurointerventions. Neurointerventions and the Law: Regulating Human Mental Capacity, (pp. 1-30). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- McCay, A. (2020). Neurobionic Revenge Porn and the Criminal Law: Brain-Computer Interfaces and Intimate Image Abuse. Neurointerventions and the Law: Regulating Human Mental Capacity, (pp. 168-187). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- McCay, A., Sevel, M. (2019). Introduction. In Allan McCay, Michael Sevel (Eds.), Free Will and the Law: New Perspectives, (pp. 1-15). Abingdon: Routledge. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2019). Mitigation is difficult: A moral evaluation of a mitigation practice at sentencing. In Allan McCay, Michael Sevel (Eds.), Free Will and the Law: New Perspectives, (pp. 188-209). Abingdon: Routledge. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2010). Bad Luck and Compatibilism: Smilansky's Concerns About the "Shallowness of Compatibilism". In Friedrich Toepel (Eds.), Free Will in Criminal Law and Procedure: Proceedings of the 23rd and 24th IVR World Congress Krakow 2007 and Beijing 2009, (pp. 39-48). Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag.
show 5 more
hide last 5
Journals
- McCay, A., Pushpapathan, H., Hamilton, T. (2024). Brain-computer interfaces, venture capital, and the many coming challenges to law. LSJ Online, (May 2024). [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2023). A Clockwork Orange Again? Science, Technology and Punishment. LSJ Online, 25 October 2023. [More Information]
- Alimardani, A., McCay, A., Lean, C. (2023). Big Data, Behavioral Genetics and Risk of Future Offending. Law, Technology and Humans, 5(2), 221-237. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2023). Black Mirror Lawyering. Sydney Business Insights.
- Ligthart, S., Ienca, M., Meynen, G., Molnar-Gabor, F., Andorno, R., Bublitz, C., Catley, P., Claydon, L., Douglas, T., Farahany, N., McCay, A., et al (2023). Minding Rights: Mapping Ethical and Legal Foundations of 'Neurorights'. Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics, 32(4), 461-481. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2023). Neurotechnology and Human Rights in Chile: The Australian Implications. Law Society Journal, (Sept 2023). [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2023). Neurotechnology and human rights: developments overseas and the challenge for Australia. Australian Journal of Human Rights, 29(1), 160-166. [More Information]
- McCay, A., Sharpe, M. (2023). Should Lawyers Care About Neurotech? Law Society Journal, July 2023, 59-66. [More Information]
- Bain, M., McCay, A. (2023). The Neural Democratisation of AI (Forthcoming). AI and Society. [More Information]
- McCay, A., Sharpe, M. (2023). What is neurotechnology and why are lawyers getting involved? LSJ Online, 12 April. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2022). Mind control and human rights. Law Society Gazette, October 2022. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2022). Neurorights: The Chilean Constitutional Change. AI and Society. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2022). What does The Matrix have to do with human rights? LSJ Online, March 2022. [More Information]
- McCay, A., Kennett, J. (2021). Neuroscience and Punishment: From Theory to Practice. Neuroethics, 14, 269-280. [More Information]
- McCay, A., Ryan, C. (2019). Issues pertaining to expert evidence and the reasoning about punishment in a neuroscience-based sentencing appeal. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 65(7-8), 1-7. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2018). The Value of Consciousness and Free Will in a Technological Dystopia. Journal of Ethics and Emerging Technologies, 28(1), 18-30. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2016). "Genetics, Crime and Justice" by Debra Wilson, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2015. Current Issues in Criminal Justice, 28(2), 249-252.
- McCay, A. (2013). The "Fernando" Principles and Genetic Vulnerabilities to the Crimogenic Effects of Social Environments. Indigenous Law Bulletin, 8(6), 9-13.
- McCay, A. (2009). "Negotiating Responsibility: Law Murder and States of Mind", Kimberley White, UBC Press, Vancouver, 2008. Current Issues in Criminal Justice, 20(3), 492-493.
show 16 more
hide last 16
Textual Creative Works
- McCay, A. (2023). Vulcan, (pp. 38 - 41). Sydney, Australia: Frances St Press. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2022). Vulcan. So Fi Zine, 10, (pp. 47 - 51). Sydney, Australia: So Fi Zine. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2020). Alternative Possibilities. Philament, Sydney, Australia: The University of Sydney.
- McCay, A. (2008). Our Debt to Vulcan. Philament, Sydney, Australia: The University of Sydney.
show 1 more
hide last 1
Magazine / Newspaper Articles
- Marvin, S., McCay, A. (2024). Elon Musk’s brain implant company offers an intriguing glimpse of an internet connecting human minds. The Conversation.
- McCay, A. (2024). It’s time for the Australian Law Reform Commission to look at neurotechnology. The Bar News, Autumn 2024. [More Information]
- McCay, A., Lean, C. (2020). Cousin took a DNA test? Courts might use it to argue you are more likely to commit crimes. The Conversation. [More Information]
- McCay, A., Kennett, J. (2020). Do criminals freely decide to commit crimes? How the courts decide. The Conversation. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2019). Might consciousness and free will be the aces up our sleeves when it comes to competing with robots? The Conversation. [More Information]
- McCay, A., Kennett, J. (2016). My brain made me do it: will neuroscience change the way we punish criminals? The Conversation. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2015). Australian Courts Facing 'Crime Gene' Conundrum. HuffPost. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2013). Evil gene would make punishment a tricky business. The Sydney Morning Herald. [More Information]
show 5 more
hide last 5
Other
- McCay, A. (2023), Submission to the Inquiry into Australia's Human Rights Framework.
- McCay, A. (2022), Crossroads, So Fi Zine #12. [More Information]
Research Reports
- McCay, A. (2023). Horizon Report for the Law Society: Neurotechnology, law and the legal profession - New Developments, (pp. 1 - 8). United Kingdom, United Kingdom: The Law Society of England and Wales. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2022). Horizon Report for the Law Society: Neurotechnology, law and the legal profession, (pp. 7 - 28). United Kingdom: The Law Society of England and Wales.
Expand all
2024
- McCay, A., Pushpapathan, H., Hamilton, T. (2024). Brain-computer interfaces, venture capital, and the many coming challenges to law. LSJ Online, (May 2024). [More Information]
- Marvin, S., McCay, A. (2024). Elon Musk’s brain implant company offers an intriguing glimpse of an internet connecting human minds. The Conversation.
- McCay, A. (2024). It’s time for the Australian Law Reform Commission to look at neurotechnology. The Bar News, Autumn 2024. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2024). Neurotechnology and human rights in Chile: the Australian implications. In Moisés Sánchez; Ciro Colombara; Natalia Monti (Eds.), En Defensa de los Neuroderechos, (pp. 141-146). Hanga Roa, Chile: Kamanau.
- McCay, A. (2024). Neurotechnology and the insanity defence (forthcoming). In Crofts. T., Kennefick, L. and Loughnan, A. (Eds.), The Routledge International Handbook on Criminal Responsibility. London: Routledge.
show 2 more
hide last 2
2023
- McCay, A. (2023). Vulcan, (pp. 38 - 41). Sydney, Australia: Frances St Press. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2023). A Clockwork Orange Again? Science, Technology and Punishment. LSJ Online, 25 October 2023. [More Information]
- Alimardani, A., McCay, A., Lean, C. (2023). Big Data, Behavioral Genetics and Risk of Future Offending. Law, Technology and Humans, 5(2), 221-237. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2023). Black Mirror Lawyering. Sydney Business Insights.
- McCay, A. (2023). Horizon Report for the Law Society: Neurotechnology, law and the legal profession - New Developments, (pp. 1 - 8). United Kingdom, United Kingdom: The Law Society of England and Wales. [More Information]
- Ligthart, S., Ienca, M., Meynen, G., Molnar-Gabor, F., Andorno, R., Bublitz, C., Catley, P., Claydon, L., Douglas, T., Farahany, N., McCay, A., et al (2023). Minding Rights: Mapping Ethical and Legal Foundations of 'Neurorights'. Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics, 32(4), 461-481. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2023). Neurotechnology and Human Rights in Chile: The Australian Implications. Law Society Journal, (Sept 2023). [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2023). Neurotechnology and human rights: developments overseas and the challenge for Australia. Australian Journal of Human Rights, 29(1), 160-166. [More Information]
- McCay, A., Sharpe, M. (2023). Should Lawyers Care About Neurotech? Law Society Journal, July 2023, 59-66. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2023), Submission to the Inquiry into Australia's Human Rights Framework.
- Bain, M., McCay, A. (2023). The Neural Democratisation of AI (Forthcoming). AI and Society. [More Information]
- McCay, A., Sharpe, M. (2023). What is neurotechnology and why are lawyers getting involved? LSJ Online, 12 April. [More Information]
show 9 more
hide last 9
2022
- McCay, A. (2022), Crossroads, So Fi Zine #12. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2022). Horizon Report for the Law Society: Neurotechnology, law and the legal profession, (pp. 7 - 28). United Kingdom: The Law Society of England and Wales.
- McCay, A. (2022). Mind control and human rights. Law Society Gazette, October 2022. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2022). Neurorights: The Chilean Constitutional Change. AI and Society. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2022). Vulcan. So Fi Zine, 10, (pp. 47 - 51). Sydney, Australia: So Fi Zine. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2022). What does The Matrix have to do with human rights? LSJ Online, March 2022. [More Information]
show 3 more
hide last 3
2021
- McCay, A. (2021). Behavioural Genetics and Sentencing. In Farah Focquaert, Elizabeth Shaw, and Bruce N. Waller (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of the Philosophy and Science of Punishment, (pp. 262-273). Milton Park: Routledge. [More Information]
- McCay, A., Kennett, J. (2021). Neuroscience and Punishment: From Theory to Practice. Neuroethics, 14, 269-280. [More Information]
2020
- McCay, A. (2020). Alternative Possibilities. Philament, Sydney, Australia: The University of Sydney.
- McCay, A., Lean, C. (2020). Cousin took a DNA test? Courts might use it to argue you are more likely to commit crimes. The Conversation. [More Information]
- McCay, A., Kennett, J. (2020). Do criminals freely decide to commit crimes? How the courts decide. The Conversation. [More Information]
- Vincent, N., Nadelhoffer, T., McCay, A. (2020). Law Viewed Through the Lens of Neurointerventions. Neurointerventions and the Law: Regulating Human Mental Capacity, (pp. 1-30). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- McCay, A. (2020). Neurobionic Revenge Porn and the Criminal Law: Brain-Computer Interfaces and Intimate Image Abuse. Neurointerventions and the Law: Regulating Human Mental Capacity, (pp. 168-187). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Vincent, N., Nadelhoffer, T., McCay, A. (2020). Neurointerventions and the Law: Regulating Human Mental Capacity. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [More Information]
show 3 more
hide last 3
2019
- McCay, A., Sevel, M. (2019). Free Will and the Law: New Perspectives. Abingdon: Routledge. [More Information]
- McCay, A., Sevel, M. (2019). Introduction. In Allan McCay, Michael Sevel (Eds.), Free Will and the Law: New Perspectives, (pp. 1-15). Abingdon: Routledge. [More Information]
- McCay, A., Ryan, C. (2019). Issues pertaining to expert evidence and the reasoning about punishment in a neuroscience-based sentencing appeal. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 65(7-8), 1-7. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2019). Might consciousness and free will be the aces up our sleeves when it comes to competing with robots? The Conversation. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2019). Mitigation is difficult: A moral evaluation of a mitigation practice at sentencing. In Allan McCay, Michael Sevel (Eds.), Free Will and the Law: New Perspectives, (pp. 188-209). Abingdon: Routledge. [More Information]
show 2 more
hide last 2
2018
- McCay, A. (2018). The Value of Consciousness and Free Will in a Technological Dystopia. Journal of Ethics and Emerging Technologies, 28(1), 18-30. [More Information]
2016
- McCay, A. (2016). "Genetics, Crime and Justice" by Debra Wilson, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2015. Current Issues in Criminal Justice, 28(2), 249-252.
- McCay, A., Kennett, J. (2016). My brain made me do it: will neuroscience change the way we punish criminals? The Conversation. [More Information]
2015
- McCay, A. (2015). Australian Courts Facing 'Crime Gene' Conundrum. HuffPost. [More Information]
2013
- McCay, A. (2013). Evil gene would make punishment a tricky business. The Sydney Morning Herald. [More Information]
- McCay, A. (2013). The "Fernando" Principles and Genetic Vulnerabilities to the Crimogenic Effects of Social Environments. Indigenous Law Bulletin, 8(6), 9-13.
2010
- McCay, A. (2010). Bad Luck and Compatibilism: Smilansky's Concerns About the "Shallowness of Compatibilism". In Friedrich Toepel (Eds.), Free Will in Criminal Law and Procedure: Proceedings of the 23rd and 24th IVR World Congress Krakow 2007 and Beijing 2009, (pp. 39-48). Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag.
2009
- McCay, A. (2009). "Negotiating Responsibility: Law Murder and States of Mind", Kimberley White, UBC Press, Vancouver, 2008. Current Issues in Criminal Justice, 20(3), 492-493.
2008
- McCay, A. (2008). Our Debt to Vulcan. Philament, Sydney, Australia: The University of Sydney.
In the media
Dr McCay regularly provides comments to the media (television, radio, print and online) including the The BBC, The Washington Post, The Australian, Sky News Arabia, The Indian Express, The Sydney Morning Herald, Radio New Zealand, The ABC and SBS and he is a TEDx speaker as well as speaking at a many other events.