In memoriam: His Honour Dr David Lynch

The LJMU community is deeply saddened by the death of His Honour Dr David Lynch who had been a part of the fabric of the university for over 50 years as a law student, as a lecturer, as the Liaison Judge for the School of Law, as an Honorary Fellow, a mature student, completing his PhD with the university and Visiting Research Fellow.

Born in Toxteth and brought up by his father, David left school at 15 to work as a clerk in a solicitor's office before joining the RAF on extended National Service. Upon completion of his service in 1961, he returned as a clerk while taking his law degree at night school in the College of Commerce, one of LJMU’s founding colleges. He was the only student to pass the first-year exams, so progressed on his own while working full time.

Completing his London external law degree in 1965, he focused on becoming a barrister and spent two years teaching in a comprehensive school by day and studied for the Bar in the evenings. He also lectured in law part time at the College of Commerce.

Called to the Bar in 1968, David practised for 22 years as a Barrister before being appointed a Circuit Judge in 1990, but his association with the university continued. He delivered the Liverpool Law Review lecture in 2004, and as the Liaison Judge for the school, invited students to sit on the Bench with him for every session, providing invaluable work experience for hundreds of law undergraduates, including our current Chancellor Nisha Katona.

In recognition of his tremendous service to LJMU and outstanding contributions to law, he was made an Honorary Fellow in 2003 and in November 2022 ‘The Lynch Moot Room’ in the Redmonds Building was named in his honour at a reception attended by the Vice-Chancellor Professor Mark Power, Chancellor Nisha Katona and guests including LJMU Honorary Fellows Sir David Clarke, Sir Henry Globe and His Honour Clement Goldstone KC. David spoke at the event about his long-standing relationship with LJMU and of his delight at the success of continuing generations of LJMU law graduates.