| Creator: |
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| Date of birth: |
1920 |
| Date of death: |
2012 |
| Biography: |
Emeritus Professor Harold Arthur John Ford AM was perhaps Australia's preeminent authority on corporate law with generations of students and practitioners of law benefitting from his exhaustive knowledge, meticulous scholarship and profound grasp of the material. A scholar of international standing he had a longstanding and deep involvement with the University of Melbourne beginning as a student. Ford began his university studies shortly after leaving high school enrolling in the Law School's articled law clerk course. His studies were interrupted by World War 2, during which he served with the Royal Australian Navy conducting surveying work around New Guinea. Returning to civilian life he immediately resumed his studies, joining the University in 1949 as a full time academic eventually serving as Dean on two separate occasions, 1964 and 1967-1973 respectively. In 1974 Ford published 'Principles of Company Law', later retitled 'Ford's Principles of Corporations Law', a seminal text which remains in print and has the distinction of being the most cited work in Australian corporate law. Outside of the University Ford fulfilled active and far reaching roles in the establishment of the Leo Cussen Institute and the reform of Australian Stock Exchange. Ford's outstanding contributions were acknowledged with an honorary doctorate conferred by the University in 1987 and the Order of Australia awarded in 1994. Harold Ford died on the 27th September, 2012. |
| Activities/Occupation: |
Academics - Law |
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