Popular law lecturer honoured

"In essence, a mini-God!"

"The most popular lecturer in the law school"

"The best lecturer in the world"

"If you attend his lecture group, you have attained Zen!"

"The lectures are brilliant - better than sex!"

"The tutorials are fantastic - better than nirvana!"

These quotations represent a small selection of the high praise generated by students over the years for Sydney Law School’s esteemed Senior Lecturer, Mr Ross Anderson, who recently celebrated 40 years of full-time service.

At a special morning tea hosted on campus, colleagues gathered together to share their admiration for Ross and his contribution to the both the legal profession and tertiary teaching.

"Many of the staff have been taught by Ross, as have many of the judiciary," said Professor Barbara McDonald.

"We really cannot underestimate the profundity of his influence on the legal profession.

"He is a man who is absolutely steeped in the law of his subjects, particularly their legal history.

"All of us adore having Ross as a colleague and may he continue for many more years to come."

Mr Anderson actually joined the Law School in 1973, serving as a part-time lecturer, before returning as a full-time staff member following postgraduate study at the University of London.

"I was encouraged by my master solicitor who’s now part of the staff after a sojourn on the High Court, William Gummow," he said.

"If I learnt any law, it was at his feet."

"The most important thing has always been the support of colleagues, the people with whom I have most closely taught."

Among many insights, Mr Anderson spoke of his fondness for teaching in the University’s historic Main Quadrangle.

"I used to teach Torts in the General Lecture Theatre in the Quad and I would take the entire year group as a single class," he said.

"It was pure theatrics involving me getting up on the desk and the like.

“However, one of the interesting aspects was that the Vice-Chancellor at the time, John Manning Ward, who was professor of history, but had trained as a lawyer, used to sit in the back during his morning tea breaks as his office was opposite.

“Now I teach in the Philosophy Room in the Main Quadrangle and the change is that now large tour groups come to visit.

“They stop to take a look and I always say, ‘Come on in!’”