In Remembrance of Professor Peter Rhodes
When I first joined the Faculty in 1985, Peter already stood out as one of the most popular and inspiring teachers, known for his clarity and engagement in the classroom. His energy and infectious enthusiasm for both teaching and academic life quickly earned him the admiration of staff and students alike. It was no surprise to us that he was elected Dean in 1987 —a role he embraced with remarkable vision and drive.
Peter assumed the Deanship at a time of enormous transition. The ink on the Sino-British Joint Declaration was still wet, and the drafting of the Basic Law had just began. Localisation of teaching staff was a pressing issue, with only very few local Chinese colleagues among a Faculty of over forty academic staff. Undaunted, Peter tackled this and many other challenges head-on. He spearheaded a major overhaul of the LLB curriculum, moving away from the traditional University of London LLB model to one that was better suited to Hong Kong’s rapidly evolving legal and constitutional landscape. He oversaw the dramatic expansion of the LLB intake — which increased in the course of the 1980s from 55 to 150 students per year, as well as the moving of the Faculty in 1988 from Knowles Building to K K Leung Building — marking a new chapter in legal education in Hong Kong.
Peter also saw the importance of developing postgraduate education and played a pivotal role in expanding both the taught LLM and research degree programmes. Long before it became common, Peter introduced the idea of private fundraising to the Faculty, challenging the then-prevailing mindset that government funding alone was sufficient, and anticipating changes in higher education financing in the years to come.
What many of us appreciated most was the trust he placed in his colleagues. He granted us wide autonomy, especially precious to those of us in public law— Peter Wesley-Smith, Ray Wacks, Yash Ghai, Nihal Jayawickrama, Andrew Byrnes, Albert Chen and myself —at a time when our public commentaries often stirred controversy. Peter stood by us, even when our work raised uncomfortable questions for the Great and Good!
Even after he left the Faculty, Peter remained a constant presence in the life of the Faculty. He never failed to attend major events whenever he was in Hong Kong, always offering his support for us with generosity and grace.
Peter played an important formative role in the Faculty’s development during a key period in its history; he was a steady hand in uncertain times, and a dear friend to many of us. He will be sorely missed, and long remembered with affection and respect.
Professor Johannes Chan SC (Hon), former Chair of Public Law and former Dean (2002-2014)