LECTURE

It is common to commence an address such as this by saying how honoured I am to have been invited to deliver it – this, the Sir Hugh Laddie lecture at UCL. I was not nervous at all until Judge Rian Kalden of the Netherlands kept telling me how nervous I should be. (Laughter) Bit by bit I have been starting to get more scared about it. Just to say that I am honoured is insufficient to express how special it is for me. First, I was overwhelmed when Robin asked me, a mere colonial from Down Under, to speak to people, many of whom, surprisingly, never read any IP decision that comes out of the Australian courts. To receive such an invitation from a person of Robin's stature and brilliance is very special.

Secondly, this lecture commemorates Hugh Laddie. I first met Hugh when we were the sole supporters of patent law as we know it at the Hague Convention on Reciprocal Enforcement of Foreign Judgments. I was a mere senior counsel. Hugh was a well-respected British – I was going to say European, but then, perhaps, who would know – judge. He was also an outstanding and fearless advocate for patent law in particular and IP law in general. He was adorable. Fortunately, the encounter with Hugh led to friendship, shared food and wine with Hugh and Stecia and many laughs and conversations. One of those conversations occurred on a Saturday night as we had just arrived in London and Hugh told us that he was thinking of leaving the court, which was announced on the Monday, and Michael Fysh will remember the dinner that night. There was, of course, great public consternation at the loss of such an eminent judge. In Australia it is not uncommon for people to leave the Bench early, but I know it was a big thing here in the UK. Hugh's contribution to the law has been immense. His judgments are still cited as far away as Australia. His bubbly personality is still recalled at Fordham, and he is with us now.