An overview of the 2017 Law Alumni Reunion

The 2017 Law Alumni Reunion took place on 24^th and 25^th November, with the Class of 1967 celebrating their 50^th Anniversary, the Class of 1977 celebrating their 40^th, the Class of 1992 their 25^th Anniversary, and the Class of 1997 their 20^th Anniversary – amongst many others.

We hosted Mr Peter Butland and Mr Peter Pearson for their 50^th Anniversary; Mr Louis Rood for his 45^th; Jonathan De Wet and Brendan Manca for their 35^th; with Piet Wesselink representing the Class of 1987 for their 30^th Reunion.

The Faculty was very pleased, though, to have alums from across the board.  From the Class of 1954 we hosted Mr Neil Jowell, while also with us were Mr Daryl Burman (Class of 1956), and Mr Alec Pienaar (Class of 1960).  Our youngest Alums were Nomalanga Gule (Class of 2014) and Darryl Brookbanks (LLM 2015).

The Dennis Davis Symposium

Many members of our South African law community have been taught by Judge Davis, and no doubt many of you will have been influenced by his work over the last few decades.   Judge Davis’ impact - on the judiciary, and on research and teaching of law - is huge, and warrants appropriate recognition.

For this reason, the Faculty decided to use the 2017 reunion to honour Judge Davis as a long-time Law Faculty member and Judge at the Western Cape High Court (along with numerous other key appointments, including as the Chair of the Davis Tax Committee).     Such recognition is in line with a series of events in the past year to honour UCT Law Academic staff: Prof Hugh Corder in October 2016; Profs Chuma Himonga and Tom Bennett in March 2017; and Profs Rashida Manjoo and Dee Smythe in August 2017.

The Reunion kicked off on Thursday 23rd November at 17h00 with the 2017 Ben Beinart Lecture, delivered this year by Professor Antony Anghie of the National University of Singapore, author of The Third World and International Order: Law, Politics and Globalization.

The symposium comprised five panels (and a “Judge For Yourself” panel to quiz Judge Davis himself!), packed with the who’s who of South Africa’s legal fraternity, as well as professors and judges from elsewhere – all of whom paid tribute to Judge Davis’ work, while also sharing memories of their work with Judge Davis and poking fun at the esteemed legal scholar and practitioner.

The Alumni Reunion Dinner, held in the grand Smuts Hall Residence Dining Room on Saturday 25^th November 2017, was a celebratory affair with classmates of old talking up a storm and enjoying the opportunity to reminisce.  With former Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan as the dinner speaker, the evening was a fitting recognition and celebration of Judge Dennis Davis.

The Reunion Invitation is below:

2017 REUNION WEEKEND | For all UCT Law Alumni

Friends. Classmates. Colleagues.

23^rd – 25^th November 2017

UCT Faculty of Law | Kramer Building, Middle Campus

You are warmly invited to join Professor Penelope Andrews, Dean of the UCT Faculty of Law, at the 2017 Law Alumni Reunion weekend on 23, 24 and 25 November for what promises to be a wonderful UCT-style gathering of Law Alumni in Cape Town to honour Judge Dennis Davis.

Please join us for a weekend of lectures, symposia and discussions – starting with Professor Antony Anghie (National University of Singapore) delivering the 2017 Ben Beinart Memorial Lecture on 23^rd November, and culminating in a celebration dinner on the evening of 25 November 2017 in Smuts Hall, with former Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan giving the keynote speech.

The full and final symposium programme is available here.

Please RSVP to gaby.ritchie@uct.ac.za or on 021 650 5602 to let us know if you will be joining us.