2004
CITATION
Chancellor,
The Honourable Justice Bruce Harvey McPherson, CBE, Judge of the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Queensland, has had a distinguished legal career spanning four decades.
Justice McPherson’s contribution to law in Queensland, Australia and the Commonwealth is highly regarded. His judgements, particularly those handed down during his tenure as a Judge of the Court of Appeal of Queensland, are widely regarded as a model of clarity of thinking and exposition, replete with historical and jurisprudential learning, as well as being immensely practical in their focus.
The Judge, who was born in South Africa, has excelled as a legal scholar with his passion being legal history. His ties to The University of Queensland go back to 1961 when he was appointed lecturer in law. He continued in this position until 1965 when he commenced practice as a barrister, focusing on commercial and corporations law. In 1975, he became a Queen’s Counsel. He has also held the position of visiting lecturer at the University of Cambridge.
Justice McPherson was Chair of the Queensland Law Reform Commission from 1982 to 1991, a consultative member of the Committee of the Australian Law Reform Commission on Insolvency Law from 1983 to 1988 and has been Judge of the Court of Appeal of the High Court of Solomon Islands since 1990.
He has taken on some of the State’s most senior and high profile roles including acting Chief Justice and acting Governor of Queensland.
Justice McPherson has written many articles and two books. The Law of Company Liquidation, originating from his University of Queensland PhD thesis was first published in 1967 and is in its fourth Australian and first English edition. In 1989, he published a history of The Supreme Court of Queensland.
His dedication to the profession was recognised in 1988 when he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for his contribution to law reform in Queensland.
Chancellor, in recognition of his distinguished career and his contribution to law, I present to you the Honourable Justice Bruce Harvey McPherson, CBE, Bachelor of Arts of the University of Natal, Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws of the University of Cambridge and Doctor of Philosophy of The University of Queensland, for conferral of the award of Doctor of Laws honoris causa to which he has been admitted by the Senate of the University.