120 Years of the School of Law

LEEDS LAW School of Law Alumni Magazine — Issue Five 2019 THE SCHOOL OF LAW IS MORE THAN JUST BRICKS AND MORTAR Just some of the people who have had a positive impact on the School MAKING A DIFFERENCE Committed to trying to change the world for the better MAPPING OUR CHANGING STUDENT COHORT Growing and developing 120 YEARS OF THE SCHOOL OF LAW History of the School from 1889 – today Contents Welcome FEATURES Welcome School of Law Alumni Magazine 05 07 From a small college in Leeds teaching articled clerks to pass the EDITOR solicitors’ finals to a truly global school of law and criminology, Samantha Cullen School Support Officer the last 120 years have seen extraordinary changes. (Alumni and Communications) In 1899, just 22 students entered what was Perhaps most importantly, we have produced as we move ahead. Do please give thought to to become the School of Law. All were generation after generation of thoroughly supporting your School financially if you can studying part-time. All were male and almost decent people who care about the law school or with your time. The support many of you KEEP IN TOUCH all were from Yorkshire. They were taught community. I travel extensively in my role have given us has been hugely important in Phone: 0113 343 7209 Email: [email protected] by just three people. What a difference 120 as Head of School. One of the things that enabling us to push the School and our Facebook: facebook.com/lawunileeds 23 35 years has made. We now have more than strikes me every time I meet a group of students to new heights and we will continue Twitter: @law_leeds 1500 students, the majority of whom are alumni, whether that be in the UK or to need that as we move forward. Finally, the HEAD OF SCHOOL women, from 50 or so countries. They are abroad, is that you enjoyed your time at critical element in what we have achieved so Alastair Mullis taught by a full time faculty of 80 academics, Leeds and learned a great deal from being far and what we will need to thrive in the many of whom are world leaders in their here and being part of our community. It is future, is our people. Our predecessors built DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Digitronix fields, in a purpose built law school building humbling to listen to you talk about how something of real value that we have tried digitronix.co.uk that rivals the best in the world. The School much those in the School meant to you and to build on. If we are going to continue to PHOTOGRAPHY AND IMAGES is now one of the most popular choices for how much you learned from them and each succeed we need to provide an environment Andy Lord undergraduate and postgraduate study of other. The stories I hear about the School in which people feel valued for what they Digitronix law and criminology in the UK. Outside and our people and their impact on you as do and supported in their aspirations. I am Simon & Simon London, no university has a larger Masters individuals reinforces for me the power and incredibly fortunate in my colleagues, our MANY THANKS TO ALL STAFF, programme than we do and we now get importance of education. We are a very students and our alumni. If there is anything STUDENTS, ALUMNI AND FRIENDS more than 5000 applications every year to different School today than we were 120 that guides me it is the adage ‘do right by the WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR TIME TO MAKE THIS PUBLICATION POSSIBLE 02 A BRIEF HISTORY OF OUR SCHOOL 20 A CHANGING STUDENT study for an undergraduate degree. In short, years ago but remaining true to the legacy people around you because you are nothing 120 years of the School of Law EXPERIENCE? the School is thriving in both research and of those who came before us is ever present without them’. So long as we continue to LEEDS LAW IS PUBLISHED BY: School of Law A different learning environment? education. It is a great time to be here. in my mind. Yes, we are a powerful research provide the right environment, I am The Liberty Building 06 MORE THAN JUST institution. Yes, we regularly rank among confident that we can continue to do well University of Leeds You, our graduates, have achieved the very top schools of law for student and that the next 120 years will be even Leeds, LS2 9JT BRICKS AND MORTAR 24 CHANGING THE WORLD A snapshot of our School community THROUGH OUR RESEARCH remarkable things over the last 120 years. education. But most importantly, we are a more successful than the last. PLEASE SEND CHANGE OF ADDRESS Our world-leading research In the legal profession, alumni of the School powerful community of staff, students and NOTICES TO: have become judges in this country and alumni. That must remain at the core of The Alumni and Development Team 13 LAWSOC AND CRIMSOC Room 11.45 PRESIDENTS 28 MAKING A DIFFERENCE abroad, heads of prosecution services, what we are about and that is why, for me, EC Stoner Building A vital part of our community Our positive impact partners in a huge range of different law remaining in touch with our alumni is so University of Leeds Leeds, LS2 9JT on the community firms, successful advocates and in-house important. You are our best ambassadors, United Kingdom 14 MAPPING OUR CHANGING lawyers. You have also led in many other you support us in many ways, whether areas of human activity. We have not, as yet, financially or through your time. For this Leeds Law is posted free of charge to STUDENT COHORT 32 A – Z OF THE alumni and friends of the School of Law, Growing and developing SCHOOL OF LAW had a prime minister or president so far as I am very grateful. University of Leeds. we are aware, but graduates have become government ministers in the UK and abroad, So on this our 120th anniversary, I offer a distinguished politicians, civil servants, couple of thoughts. We have achieved great business people, journalists, academics things individually and as a community but and much more. The contribution of Leeds we need to press on. We cannot afford any REGULARS law and criminology graduates has been sense of complacency. How we do things significant. You have played your part in even better than we are doing now is a Welcome 01 trying to make the world a better place question I constantly ask myself. What I do Alastair Mullis Finalists’ Photographs 40 and we are proud of you. know is that we need your help and support Head of School School of Law Alumni Magazine Issue Five – 2019 03 120 years of the School of Law A brief history of our School Originally founded in 1899 and located in the Baines Wing, September 2019 will see us take our 120th intake of students. Over that time the School has changed very significantly from one focussed entirely on professional education to the global research and education community it is today. Origins of our School After an initial, unsuccessful, attempt to introduce the teaching of law at the Yorkshire College, which was the predecessor of the University of Leeds, the Yorkshire Board of Legal Studies (which represented local Law Societies) offered the College in 1898 an annual grant of £450 to establish a law department in order to prepare candidates for university degrees and professional examinations. When the University of Leeds was founded in 1904, the School became part of the new University. Our first Chair of Law, Walter Philips, was appointed in 1899 to head up the School. Philips had previously been Professor of Roman Law at the University of Adelaide. Three lecturers were appointed soon after Professor Philips but only one of them, G Glover Alexander, was reappointed for the second session. Until just after the First World War, teaching in the School was carried out by just one professor and one lecturer. Teaching started in 1899 when the first cohort of 22 students was admitted. The majority of these were part-time, non-degree, students who were studying for one year in preparation for the Law Society’s Intermediate Examination while working as articled clerks. There were only a handful of degree students studying for their LLB, which gave exemption from the Intermediate Examination, but most of these, like their fellow one-year students, were also working as articled clerks. The Brotherton Library our home from 1936 – 1957 School of Law Alumni Magazine Issue Five – 2019 05 120 years of the School of Law 120 years of the School of Law 1919 1975 Professor James was adamant that the School needed its own 1951 2000 accommodation in order to continue to grow. Class of 1957 A new era Heading towards a new century In 1919 Professor Philips resigned to take up a post at Khedival College in Cairo and The period from 1975 to 2000 saw a John Hughes was appointed in his place. steady expansion of the School. Under the The bulk of the teaching was still 1951 leadership of the legendary Brian Hogan, instructing part-time students studying 2000 who was Head of School three times for their professional exams. However, during this period, and Peter Seago, Professor Hughes worked to set up an the School increased the size of the Honours LLB with a heavier syllabus 1975 professoriate from two in 1975 to present Our custom built home the Liberty Building than the ordinary LLB.

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