Professor Bates was widely known and liked in academic circles in England, Scotland, the United States, Canada and Australia. He undertook his LLB and LLM at the University of Sheffield in England and lectured in England and Scotland before coming to Australia in 1970 as a Lecturer in Law, then Reader at the University of Tasmania. In 1987 he was appointed Professor of Law and Second Head of the Department of Law at the University of Newcastle. He held numerous appointments and offices including Senior Fulbright Scholar and Visiting Professor at at Lewis and Clark College, Northwestern School of Law, Portland, Oregon; Vice-President of the International Society on Family Law; Member of the Family Law Council of Australia and Law Reform Commissioner (Tasmania). He was the editor and on the editorial board of international and Australian journals. He was instrumental in agitating, with the late David Mitchell, for a Law School in Newcastle that would offer a LLB program, which eventuated in 1992. He always enjoyed good relationships with the staff and supported the activities of the Newcastle University Legal Centre. He was a prolific writer and A/Professor John Anderson remembers him celebrating 200 publications in around 1997. Professor Bates continued to publish widely until 2016 and released his last book in August of 2015, 'Conflict of Laws as Taxonomy: A New Approach', published by LexisNexis. His publications were very diverse and drew on his scholarship not only of law, but of literature and poetry. He wrote his publications by hand, having a prodigious and possibly photographic memory. His scholarship was enhanced by his wife Mary who provided very capable administrative support, as did administrative staff in the Law School.

He was a great colleague and mentor for many current staff at the school including A/Professor Anderson, Dr Nicola Ross, and Dr Brendon Murphy. He taught and mentored current staff members including Sher Campbell. He taught generations of Newcastle law students and generations of non-law students. He developed close relationships with former colleagues, such as Professor Michael Stuckey who is the Head of the Law School at the University of New England.  Despite having a stroke in 2002 he continued to make a significant contribution to the academy and the Law School.  He retired at 66 years of age and turned up on the next Monday for work as usual. This year he was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia “For significant service to the law and to tertiary education, to professional legal associations and to the community.” 

Professor Frank Bates was a friendly and valued colleague and a great scholar who was well respected by all in the academy. He was also a supportive mentor, teacher and friend who helped to shape the School and continued to contribute to the development of Newcastle Law School until his passing on Monday 12 September 2016 after a long illness. He will be missed by all his colleagues (both academics and administrative staff) and friends at Newcastle Law School, those working throughout Australia, as well as colleagues in England, Scotland, Canada and the United States.   He is survived by his wife Mary, his sister, and nephews and nieces.

PROFESSOR TANIA SOURDIN

Dean and Head of School

Newcastle Law School

T: +61 2 4921 5119

E: Tania.Sourdin@newcastle.edu.au 

The University of Newcastle (UoN)

University DriveCallaghan NSW 2308Australia

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