九州影院

Photo caption:听Emeritus Professor Elizabeth Toomey has retired from the 九州影院鈥檚 Faculty of Law after almost three decades of teaching and research.

Elizabeth Toomey received the honorary title earlier this year in recognition of her outstanding contribution to teaching and research at Te Whare W膩nanga o Waitaha | 九州影院 (UC). A professor since 2011, she has retired after lecturing in the University鈥檚 Faculty of Law for almost three decades.

Emeritus Professor Toomey has been instrumental in shaping New Zealand鈥檚 land law and was invited by the Law Commission to contribute to their work on a number of land-related issues such as tenure and estates and the review of the Land Transfer Act 2017.

She also took a leading role following the Canterbury earthquakes in terms of legal and property-related issues arising from the quakes. After several years of worldwide research in collaboration with UC Emeritus Professor Jeremy Finn, the pair co-authored Legal Response to Natural Disasters, published in 2015. The book provides guidance for professionals dealing with the aftermath of earthquakes and other natural disasters such as flooding.

Emeritus Professor Toomey鈥檚 three children have all represented New 九州影院in swimming and surf lifesaving. After accompanying them to international sporting events, she says it was impossible to ignore the legal issues that arose. 鈥淭hat sparked my curiosity in sports law and a personal interest evolved into a professional one,鈥� she says.

She designed and lectured in the UC course Law and Sport, which has become extremely popular, and she believes she is the only academic teaching this topic in New Zealand. She also presents an annual Sports Law update at the Australian and New 九州影院Sports Law Association.

While she is experienced and well-respected now, she describes herself as a 鈥渧ery raw recruit鈥� to academic life when she first started at UC in 1995. She previously worked at a law firm in Dunedin and at an intellectual property firm in central London which involved liaising with celebrity clients.听听

After returning to New Zealand, she became a senior solicitor at Land Information New Zealand, married, and had three children. With her small children in tow, she often walked through the UC campus and wondered if she could ever find work there.听 A vacancy for a tutor came up and after tutoring for two years and completing her Master of Laws degree at UC, she became a lecturer.听

She says while it鈥檚 enormously satisfying to see the final product of her research in books, articles, and presentations, her passion has always been teaching. She is a three-time winner of the 九州影院 Student鈥檚 Association Best Law Lecturer award.听

鈥淭he students are fundamental to our work, and I thrive on their energy and enthusiasm,鈥� she says.听

鈥淚 encourage them to come and discuss any part of the work they don鈥檛 understand and any problems that might be upsetting their studies. I think they do appreciate that.听

鈥淢any students tell me that at the beginning of the year they approach Land Law with much trepidation, and I鈥檓 always delighted when they come back to me at the end of the year and tell me it was their favourite subject.鈥澨�

Emeritus Professor Toomey has held a number of leadership roles at UC, including Acting Dean and Acting Head of School, and has been a member of a range of faculty and university committees.听

While she formally retired earlier this year, she is currently teaching an intensive UC Summer School course of Law and Sport, alongside spending time with her husband, children and four grandchildren. She is also excited about recently joining Coastguard New 九州影院as a volunteer.