Pericleans, Plumbers and Practitioners ─ The First Fifty Years of the Monash University Law School

When the urbane, learned, and widely-liked David Derham accepted the invitation to establish the second university law school in Australia's state of Victoria, Derham wrote to a friend of the challenge ahead: "I am probably mad to do it but will have some compensating fun no doubt." As the foundation dean, Derham achieved his vision of establishing a new law school with an innovative curriculum, a first-rate staff recruited from around the world, and a state-of-the-art building constructed around Victoria's best law library. Within a short time, Monash University Law School rose to be among the leading law schools in Australia and became the model that successive new law schools openly copied. If David Derham could see his law school today, there are many achievements he would be proud of, some developments that would appall him, and a few that would leave him scratching his head. In this lively and engaging 50th-anniversary history of the law school, the story of how Derham's vision has played out is told without fear or favor. While the law school's many fine achievements are fully recognized, so too are the wrong turns and backward steps. Most importantly, this is a book about the thousands of people, staff, and students who have been part of the history of the law school. There have been many extraordinary characters. No student will forget the inimitable Louis Waller, the intimidating Enid Campbell, or the remarkable Lawrie McCredie and Ron McCallum. Memorable students have been plentiful, including many who have become heavyweights in law, politics, and business. Interestingly, the authors found that the most widely remembered student was the great impersonator, Campbell McComas, aka Granville Williams; far more people recall being at his famous fake lecture than could possibly have been present on that day! (Series: Law)