We at KLS have been deeply saddened to learn of the passing of The Rt Hon. Lord Etherton, former Master of the Rolls and a long-standing friend of Kent Law School.
Lord Etherton was appointed as an Honorary Professor at Kent Law School in 2011, and in 2018 the University was proud to confer upon him an Honorary Doctor of Laws at our LLB graduation ceremony in Canterbury Cathedral. Over the years, he gave generously of his time and expertise, delivering talks to students and supporting the School’s mission to foster critical and inclusive legal education.
His support extended beyond the ceremonial. Lord Etherton personally sponsored the Master of the Rolls Prize for the best essay in Equity & Trusts, which was later renamed the Lord Etherton Prize in his honour. He did more than lend his name: he carefully read the shortlisted essays each year, selected the winner himself, and wrote to students with his congratulations—often including personal and insightful feedback. This generosity of spirit and genuine encouragement had a lasting impact on many of our students.
We will remember Lord Etherton with great fondness and gratitude for his remarkable contributions to Kent Law School and to legal education more broadly. He will be missed.