Professor Sir Elihu Lauterpacht (1928 - 2017): tributes and obituaries

It is with deep sadness that we report the death on 8 February 2017 of Sir Elihu Lauterpacht CBE QC LLD, Honorary Professor Emeritus of International Law at the University of Cambridge, Fellow of Trinity College, and founder of the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law.

Sir Eli established the Research Centre for International Law in 1983 to provide a scholarly home for international law at the University of Cambridge, and directed it for many years. Initially the centre existed only in his study in Herschel Road, but through his leadership and personal generosity, it became one of the world’s principal centres for international legal scholarship. 

Following his retirement from teaching, Sir Eli continued to be a familiar face around the Centre, as Emeritus Director, Honorary Fellow and member of the Committee of Management. He regularly attended lectures and events, and spoke to fellows and visiting fellows about their research. He will be missed deeply by everyone at the Centre, not only as a giant of international legal scholarship and practice, but also as a friend and mentor.

Sir Eli's death was widely reported, both in the UK and internationally. We will be gathering the many tributes and obituaries about him on this page.

Obituaries