Shaping New Zealand's top legal minds for 40 years

Many of New Zealand's top legal minds over the last four decades have been shaped by Professor David McLauchlan from Victoria University's Faculty of Law.

Next Thursday, more than 120 of the Law Professor's colleagues and former students will honour him at a special function acknowledging his 40 years of teaching and research at Victoria. Guest speakers will include his former student, the Minister of Justice, the Hon Simon Power, as well as Supreme Court judge, the Rt Hon Justice Sir Peter Blanchard.

A special edition of the Victoria University's Law Review is being published to honour his contribution to the Faculty and the law in general. The publication includes articles by recent students, former students, and colleagues from both New Zealand and abroad.

"I am delighted that my colleagues have chosen to honour me in the special issue of the Law Review," says Professor McLauchlan.

"However, since I am still thoroughly enjoying my writing and teaching, I hope to continue for a while yet and perhaps even make 50 years."

Professor McLauchlan is the author of two books and has published well over 100 book chapters or journal articles, mainly in the areas of the law of contract and commercial law. His writings have frequently been cited in the judgments of leading Commonwealth courts, including the House of Lords, and several have been influential in changing or developing the law.

He joined Victoria's Faculty of Law in 1971 and has been a Professor of Law since 1981. He has received University awards for excellence in teaching and in research, and students have voted him best lecturer in the Law Faculty several times in recent years.

He is also Honorary Professor at the University of Queensland, Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne and in 2008 was the McWilliam Professor in Commercial Law at the University of Sydney.

In earlier years Professor McLauchlan was also involved in law reform. This involvement included several submissions to parliamentary select committees, membership of the New Zealand Law Commission's advisory committees on Personal Property Security Law reform (1988-91) and Contract Law Reform (1991-93) and membership of the New Zealand Law Society’s Advisory Committee on the Personal Property Securities Bill (1999-2001).