Members of the public, including local school pupils, are set to attend an inaugural lecture by University of Aberdeen Professor Roderick Paisley as he takes up the position of Chair of Scots Law at the University.
Professor Paisley, who is the 34th holder of the post, will host the lecture on Friday, September 13, at King’s Conference Centre at the Old Aberdeen campus.
The lecture, Worthiness in the Law of Succession, will explore why certain people have been excluded from inheriting. It will address exclusions of foreigners from inheritance under Roman law and exclusions of Jewish people from inheriting under Nazi law in Germany 1933 – 1945. While there is no directly similar rule in Scots law, individuals who kill the person from whom they wish to inherit are excluded from inheriting on the basis of their personal behaviour – not because they belong to a certain class or race.
As well as providing those who attend with an insight into the University’s Law School, Professor Paisley is pleased that the lecture will also involve other members of the University community.
He said: “I am absolutely delighted to have been appointed to the Chair of Scots Law, following in the footsteps of many distinguished figures such as Christopher Gane, Michael Meston and Ronald Ireland QC.
“It is an honour to be able to host an inaugural lecture and I hope that the event will showcase not only the excellence of our law school but the University as a whole.
“I look forward to meeting some potential future Aberdeen students and it is great that so many of the local schools from throughout the city and Aberdeenshire – as well as further afield – are coming along to the lecture.”
Head of the University of Aberdeen Law School, Anne-Michelle Slater, added: “It is most appropriate for the law school to host this inaugural lecture, which is the traditional way of introducing the new holder of the Chair of Scots law to the wider University community as well as members of the public.
“I am delighted that Professor Paisley is marking his translation to this post with the lecture and I am sure those who attend will not only find the event informative, but also entertaining.”
Professor Paisley’s lecture will take place at 6pm on Friday, September 13 and will be followed by a reception in the James MacKay Hall.
The Chair of Scots Law is the founding University law chair and has been previously held by Christopher Gane (1994-2011) and Michael Meston (1971-1994). Earlier distinguished holders were Ronald Ireland QC (1958-1971), Sir Thomas (‘TB’) Smith (1949-1958), Sir Thomas Taylor (1935-1948) and Alexander Mackenzie Stuart (1919-1935).