Mike Redmayne, professor of law here at LSE, has died at the age of 47. He started his career at the University of Manchester in 1993, moving to Brunel in 1997 and then, in 1999, to the LSE, where he taught until only a few weeks before his death. Mike’s contribution to academic life was impeccable, his service to LSE exemplary. He sat on various Departmental and School committees and was awarded the 2008 Departmental teaching prize in recognition of his consistently high scores in student surveys and his exceptional contribution to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.
Mike was the author of two outstanding monographs. The first of these, Expert Evidence and Criminal Justice, established him as a leading scholar in evidence law. Character in the Criminal Trial, published only this year, is a brilliantly nuanced analysis of the arguments for and against relying on character evidence when determining a defendant’s guilt or innocence. Besides having these books and a long list of highly-praised academic journal articles to his name, he co-authored the last two editions of one of the leading textbooks on English criminal law, Ashworth and Redmayne’s The Criminal Process, and he was involved in numerous law journals, including Law, Probability and Risk (of which he was a founding member) and The Modern Law Review, on which he served as book reviews editor, articles editor and, until very recently, production editor.
Colleagues and students knew that when Mike was free his door was open, and that anyone who knocked on it would be invited in. Over the past year, that door has been open ever less frequently. It has been immensely saddening to see it constantly closed of late, and to think that we will never be able to call on him again. The Department mourns the loss of a magnificent and highly cherished member of its community, and extends its deepest condolences to Mike’s wife, Louise.
10 June 2015
Obituaries of Mike Redmayne have also appeared in the Guardian, 23 June 2015; and the Times Higher Education Supplement, 2 July 2015.
Mike was one of the best colleagues and nicest people that I have met. I deeply regret his tragically early death and send my condolences to Louise and all his relatives and friends. He will be sadly missed.
Carol Harlow
From when I first joined the Law Department until his untimely, devastatingly sad death, I knew that I could rely on Mike for anything. He always carefully read my manuscripts commenting on them in a critical but also encouraging way. He helped me with mundane, everyday administrative problems when he was LLB Director and I had just taken over as Department Tutor. He attentively listened to me and offered me his advice when he acted as my mentor. There is so much more beside, more than I can even remember. And he always offered his help generously, unbegrudgingly, though I’m sure that all too often I should have worked out the solution by myself instead of imposing on him. Mike was a colleague of tremendous integrity. He was confident in his views but wisely open-minded and so respectful of others as never to try to impose his views. He was fair but also caring (the way he looked after his academic advisees was exemplary). He was supportive of individuals but also of the team as a whole (even when his health had deteriorated he hardly missed any of our criminal law research seminars). He was always calm and level-headed and with clear judgement (on matters ranging from complex philosophical problems to how a final year student should be classified to whether Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds did a good Red Right Hand in their latest gig) but not dispassionate. We have lost a colleague who stood for what we aspire to be as a community. Rest in peace, Mike. Thank you for everything.
Manolis Melissaris
I am greatly saddened by the news of the loss of Professor Redmayne. He taught me Criminal Law and Procedure in 2003 during my LLM programme. He was a brilliant teacher who encouraged me to think beyond the parameters of orthodoxies. He was a great source of inspiration to me and encouraged me to pursue my doctorate degree at LSE.
Professor Redmayne was one of the teachers who made LSE 'home' for me. He believed in me and made me want to excel; he inspired me and made me become a teacher to be a source of inspiration. I consider it an honour to have been one of his students. May his soul rest in peace.
Udoka Nwosu
I, like virtually everybody else who has had the pleasure of being taught by Mike, still look back at my criminal law lectures with him fondly - what an honour it has been to have been taught by one of LSE's greatest.
It's said that "the light that shines twice as bright, burns for half as long"; it is a shame that he wasn't an exception to this rule in light of how exceptional he was to us as a professor.
Michael Bae
So sorry to hear about the sad news of Professor Mike Redmayne's passing. He was well loved by all law undergraduates at the LSE who were blessed to have been taught Criminal Law by him in their first year. Thoughts and prayers with his family.
Stephanie Tsang
I first met Mike in the mid 1990’s when he spoke eloquently and authoritatively at the UCL Symposium on Law and Science. In the two decades since then, I was honoured that we became friends, then old friends, sharing walks on the Heath, delicious pub meals and Mike’s wonderful home cooking. In 2009 we became colleagues in a fuller sense, and indeed one of the reasons I moved to LSE was that Mike was here.
I valued Mike for many qualities, as a friend, colleague and mentor, but what I can’t omit is Mike’s awe-inspiring objectivity and rationality. While we were far from agreeing on every issue, these qualities meant that he was an incredibly helpful sounding-board and support for me in my work, and I will miss him for this immeasurably, as well as for his friendship.
The last time I saw Mike was a few days before he died, when he was finding it difficult to speak. With evident effort, he articulated for me the word that I was groping for but couldn’t find. As the last word he spoke directly to me, this was very Mike.
Helen Reece
It is so very sad to hear of Mr Redmayne's passing. 12 years on from finishing my LLB, I still remember his teaching. Despite my profound mediocrity as a student of the criminal law, Mr Redmayne was always kind and patient. My condolences to his friends, family and colleagues.
Alan Lu
Sorry and sad to hear of Mike Redmayne's passing. A delight as a lecturer and academic. My sincere condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and LSE Law Dept.
George Laurencin
I would like to extend my condolences to Mike Redmayne’s family and to all those who knew him. He was a wonderful lecturer and was able to make the most complex material accessible. We all benefitted greatly from his energy and commitment.
Tanya Krupiy
Mike will be a much missed member of the professoriate in the LSE Law Department. He was honest, decent ,humane and had a gentle sense of humour. His advice was always considered and carried considerable weight. Mike was an essential part of the foundations on which the Department has grown and been so successful. We will all be less without him to help steer us.
Linda Mulcahy
Mike genuinely cared about my understanding of the subject as a student of the law of evidence, during my time at the LSE (2002-2005). He was kind, understanding, knowledgeable, and made the law of evidence so very interesting, especially as a student coming from abroad with virtually no background on anything related to law. He was patient and extremely sharp. A very rare combination. It was such an honor to have been educated by him, and I can only express my shock and sadness at his untimely death. He is an unforgettable character and one of a handful of teachers I can never forget. My condolences go out to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.
Hanan Al Thawadi
I am an alumnus (LLB; Class of '08) and was deeply saddened to learn of Prof. Redmayne's passing. I still remember first - year undergraduate criminal law tutorials with him, and how he had a unique way of teaching the class and expanding our awareness of not only legal but also philosophical and ethical questions raised by the way criminal law affects societies. He was very friendly, always approachable and above all patient. He allowed and encouraged us to approach the subject with a much broader and wiser perspective than we initially thought possible. My heartfelt condolences go to his family, friends and colleagues.
Marija Skundric
I am so very sorry to hear this devastating news. A lovely and caring person, with a great legal mind, Mike will be missed enormously by his colleagues and students alike. My sincere condolences to his family. Mike's untimely passing stops us in our tracks and makes us pause for thought.
Jonathan Fisher
Professor Mike Redmayne was my favourite lecturer and tutor at the LSE. I remembered that although my friends and I would sometimes skip lectures but we would never dream of skipping Prof Redmayne's lectures. He made Criminal Law lectures fun and interesting. We always enjoyed his lectures. When I realised Prof Redmayne was offering Evidence Law again in my final year, I was quick to sign up. I was glad I did, because he brought so much life to what I perceived was a procedural subject. I am much saddened by his passing and the lost for future generations of LSE students of such a great Professor. My condolences goes to his family.
Sinyee Ong
Mike was the first lecturer many of had when we started in the LLB program at the LSE. He was tasked not only with teaching us the criminal law but also with helping us to transition into the study of law more generally. In both of these roles he was unfailingly patient and compassionate. He set the tone and expectations for the degree in a kind and fair way without compromising his commitment to academic rigour. He went above and beyond to help us all do as well as we possibly could. Most impressively, he did all of this with great sincerity and good humour. His passing is such a loss for the students of the school past, present, and future.
Leah Trueblood
Having known Mike since 1993 when he was appointed to his first academic post at Manchester University, I’ve watched with growing admiration and respect as people quickly came to recognise his qualities as a gifted teacher, an original scholar, and a great colleague. I was lucky to have had the opportunity of working with him again at LSE, increasingly depending on his sound judgment and advice. We’ve had the pleasure of seeing Mike grow into an internationally-recognized scholar of criminal law and evidence, and must now experience the pain of being deprived of a colleague and friend while he was at the height of his powers. It’s a cruel world.
Martin Loughlin
I knew Mike for many years, as a PhD supervisor and as my next door neighbour in the New Academic Building for six years. I once asked him, when we first moved in to the New Academic Building, if he minded being next to such a noisy and busy office but he said he loved to hear us chatting and seeing people come and go. He said ” he loved being at the heart of the action”.
He shall be missed.
Rachel Yarham
I am so sorry to hear of Professor Mike Redmayne's passing. His way to explain tremendously complex issues in simple ways was incredible. He is no longer with us, but he and his work as well as his contribution to the Law will never be forgotten.
Arsen Akhatov
So sad to hear about the premature passing of Mike Redmayne. I studied evidence with him as an LLM student after I had been a practitioner for several years. His lectures were always fun, informative and thought-provoking. Condolences to his wife and family.
Guy Fitzmaurice
The first time I met Mike Redmayne was across the table in my interview for the job at LSE. Thanks again Mike. He proved to be a great colleague, one of those professors who has made the LSE Law Department an enjoyable and productive place to work as an academic. He was a professional above all. For me, he set the professional bar for teaching, and he set it high. He convened the undergraduate criminal law course for several years before I took it over, and his practice remains my model - although I cannot claim to have met his standards with anything like his intimidating consistency. Mike was always discreet, supportive, modest. And he led from the front.
Peter Ramsay
Sincere condolences.
Suzy P. Webb
Mike is one of my first memories of LSE. I remember sitting in that huge, daunting lecture theatre, petrified to even try and compete with some of the most brilliant legal minds in the world. He conducted our first ever lecture, and made me laugh out loud at least four or five times in it. I was instantaneously inspired by him, so much so that I worked as hard as I could to become the attorney I am today. Thank you, Professor Redmayne, for showing me the light. You will be so greatly missed and forever loved.
Rahul Soni
I am deeply saddened by Professor Redmayne’s passing. I graduated from the LSE last year and can still remember Professor Redmayne on my graduation day. We even had a photo together. The news about his passing came as a complete shock to me.
Professor Redmayne was an amazing lecturer —one of the very best I had at the LSE. He taught Criminal Law in my first year and his lectures were always those that I would look forward to. I enjoyed his teaching tremendously and because of him I decided to take Law of Evidence in my second year. It was indeed a right choice because he made the subject so interesting if not exciting to read! I can never forget how he would listen to our thoughts on the subject and tell us "I think you’re right”. Professor Redmayne was a very dedicated teacher and I have always been proud to be one of his students.
Professor Redmayne will always be remembered dearly by his students. My condolences go to his family.
Kah Kah Lam
It is with great sadness that I heard of Professor Mike Redmayne's demise. He was my first law lecturer and tutor and, in common with many students, shaped my thoughts, vision and mindset. His dry wit and humour will be fondly remembered. He is forever associated with my memories of LSE. One of his favourite phrases in our time seemed to be "hold your horses". I wished he held his horses for his next journey.
Reshma L. Roomallah
An incredibly talented man with a fantastic sense of humour. His lectures and seminars were always my favourite, and I still remember them four years on. Simply the best teacher I ever had. Rest in peace Professor Redmayne.
Calvin Chan
I am so shocked and saddened by Mike’s death. He played such a pivotal role in my education and career. I first met him in 1999 when he was sitting in on my Criminal Procedure module each week on my LLM which he took over the following year. I then taught with him for 5 years on the Criminal Law module as a Ph.D student. He then acted as my internal examiner for my Ph.D and when I got my first academic job he was my external examiner for 3 years for my Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure and Evidence modules. Mike was always kind, helpful, supportive and fair, particularly during my Ph.D viva where his ‘bad cop’ persona was so at odds with his gentle personality that it makes me smile to think of it. His attention to detail and expert knowledge terrified me at the time but he was so nice throughout it while at the same time scrupulously adhering to the regulations and making sure the process was rigorous. I got the best outcome I could have hoped for from what had been a fairly traumatic time completing it. He will be remembered for his first rate scholarship and for being a thoroughly kind and decent man and I shall be forever grateful for his contribution to my education and career. He will be much missed. I send my condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. RIP Mike.
Stephanie Roberts
I was devastated to hear about Mike’s untimely death.
Mike was a preeminent evidence scholar, widely respected for his excellent interdisciplinary work that expanded the frontiers of knowledge. I personally will miss Mike as a great person, nuanced thinker, and one of my honest and most constructive critics. I thoroughly enjoyed and will always fondly remember our meetings, dinners and drinks in Belfast, Jerusalem and New York. Together with the entire community of evidence scholars, I will miss Mike sorely.
Alex Stein
I first met Mike in the autumn of 2010 when I joined the LSE as an undergraduate. Fresh out of school, I was somewhat daunted at the prospect of joining an institution so famous for its high academic standards and of therefore not being able to “keep up”. That all changed, however, when I attended my first Criminal Law lecture. I still remember Mike up on that stage in the Old Building, charming us with his down-to-earth personality and ready wit, and teaching us in a way that gave us great confidence for the summer exams. Undoubtedly scholarly and intelligent, but never condescending or superior, Mike was able to explain difficult concepts in such an accessible, easy to comprehend way that even an untried teenager like myself could grasp them. Later on that year, Mike became my Criminal Law tutor when my original teacher was unable to take her classes. Despite the fact that he was a leading academic in his field, Mike was humility and kindness personified: he was ever ready to answer our queries, and seemed genuinely interested in the ideas we had to offer.
Given the above, and having heard rave reviews of his seminars by friends who had taken the course in our Second Year, choosing the Law of Evidence as one of my Third Year subjects was a “no brainer”. Mike’s clear passion for Evidence shone through in his teaching, and once again his measured yet confident style rendered even the trickiest of topics more than manageable. I still remember an evening in late 2012 when our entire seminar was struggling mightily with probability models. Mike was, as usual, incredibly patient and understanding, and took the trouble to explain the “maths” to us a couple of times over. He said at the time, “don’t worry, I don’t really understand this either”. I later discovered that he was a founding editor of the Law, Probability and Risk journal! That was Mike: eternally self-deprecating, encouraging and gentle, notwithstanding his vast intelligence and wealth of experience.
Mike’s teaching was also particularly engaging due to his ready wit and great sense of humour. I clearly remember him, with a blank face, reading out expletive-ridden, violent rap lyrics and text messages from drug dealers (to much hilarity!) and asking us whether we thought this evidence should be admissible at trial. He struck the perfect balance between the funny and the serious, gently teasing us about our prospects during exam-time when we hadn’t done our reading (!) but being extremely forgiving and more than willing to explain things all over again.
I last saw Mike in person in August 2014. I had just completed the Bar Professional Training Course, and before I moved back to Malaysia for good I wanted to thank him for his stellar teaching which had stood me in good stead for my Criminal Litigation, Evidence & Sentencing module. He was incredibly welcoming and gracious, thanking me for remembering him and for keeping in touch, and indicated that I should contact him when I was next back in London.
I am devastated that I will never get that chance, and I know I will never meet anyone quite like him again. It was a real honour and privilege to know and have been taught by such an eminent scholar and a genuinely inspiring man, and while I remain in a state of deep shock and sadness at the news of his passing, I take comfort in the confidence that his legacy and memory will live on in his groundbreaking scholarship and perhaps most importantly, in the in the hearts and minds of all who knew him.
Hannah Kam
No-one went through LSE Law without getting taught by Mike Redmayne in 1st Year Criminal Law. I was fortunate enough to have been taught by Mike a second time, Evidence Law in final year, which teaching was conducted in an unique seminar-like style. Personally, he was extremely supportive throughout my final year of studies and, since then, Mike has acted as one of my most trusted mentors and referees.
Since receiving the rather upsetting news, I went back and looked through my past email exchange with Mike, some of which speak for themselves as to how committed and thoughtful Mike had been as an academic tutor. To name but a few, in relation to various essays, after an extended feedback in the form of a reply email, "I can’t really add much else, but if you want to talk through any of the ideas in the essays, or any other points, then do get in touch..."; in similar vein, following further email exchange and before an imminent examination, "I may not be in on Tuesday now - depends when I'm likely to have more exam scripts to pick up. Anyway, get in touch on Tuesday. If I'm not in then there's a good chance I'll be around on Thursday. If that's too late you could phone me on Tuesday."
Needless to say, it has come as a complete shock to learn the (untimely) passing away of this talented academic. I will forever remember you and your teaching, and will forever cherish the care and attention I received from you during and beyond my 3 years at LSE. May you rest in peace.
Michael Lok
I knew Mike for a relatively short period as a colleague, and for many more years as a fellow evidence scholar. Like many others, I much appreciated the kindness, generosity and towering intellect that were his hallmarks. He will be sadly missed. I offer my sincerest condolences to Louise and to his other relatives.
Andrew Choo
Mike was on the panel that interviewed me for the position at LSE, and he became my mentor when I joined the Department. We would have lunch a couple of times each year. He gave sound advice on career-related matters, but also on outdoor equipment and bike rides. Follow-up emails usually contained the latest Danny MacAskill upload. His passing is a very sad loss.
Jo Murkens
I have taught alongside and Mike for fifteen years and in that time I have learned a considerable amount from him. Mike was not only a teacher of undergraduate and postgraduate students he was also incredibly patient in showing colleagues the ropes of any job or role, in giving feedback on their research and in giving feedback on their teaching. Mike really was the kind of colleague everyone hopes to meet in a new job when they arrive, and in 2000 I was lucky enough to meet Mike. Some of my earliest memories of Mike are at Cumberland Lodge where he organised the weekend away in 2001. A great weekend was had by all, a perfect mixture of educational and relaxation in a beautiful environment. One late night visit to the local pub ended with Mike leading a small party on a walk back to Cumberland Lodge during which he not only navigated the party back, something no-one else I suspect could have done safely, he also gave us a short lecture on the local flora we were passing. That was Mike, ever the teacher. He will be missed. My condolences to Louise.
Andrew Murray
It was with great sadness that I learned of Mike's death. Working with Mike on the Writing Coach Scheme, I learned not only a great deal more about how students study but, more importantly, his dedication to providing the best possible learning experience for those studying law shone through. That is a rare thing.
Tola Amodu
It was with immense sadness that everyone at Birmingham Law School (formerly University of Birmingham Law Faculty) learnt of Mike's untimely death. Mike's distinguished academic career began at Birmingham where he undertook his undergraduate (Law with French 1990) and doctoral studies. His glittering academic career as a world leading scholar in criminal law and evidence makes us very proud of him as a Birmingham alumnus. His death at such a young age is a huge loss to LSE and the wider legal academic world. He will be very much missed.
Andrew Sanders (Head of School)
Many others have testified to Mike's excellence as a scholar and colleague. I was lucky to start working in Manchester at the same time as him and to benefit from working with a colleague who from the outset was unfailingly wise and dependable. Even more importantly though I recall fun times at Fall gigs, the last days of the Hacienda, Reservoir Dogs being shown constantly at Cine City, drinks and films at the Cornerhouse, amidst other happy memories. Sadly for us all Mike's time was much too short, but his impact in so many ways has been huge.
Marie Fox
As my academic advisor, I had a strong relationship of trust with Mike. Not only was he an asset to legal scholarship, he was an asset to the continued welfare of his students. My time at LSE was turbulent, both mentally and physically. Through Mike's care and wisdom, he helped me through my darkest times. Mike was a constant point of support and without him, I doubt I'd be here today. I can safely say that I owe my life to Mike, and that he has touched the lives of many. His legal brilliance will continue to resonate throughout criminal law for many years to come. It has been an honour and a privilege to know you, Mike. Thank you for everything.
Darren Barnett
Mike was my professor some ten years ago, yet I vividly remember the discussions I had with him regarding the various widely accepted evidence techniques in criminal law, including fingerprint evidence, which he seemed quite passionate about. I often think of Mike when I decide to question the norm, whether in or outside of law. He was a professor that left a most positive impression on his students and the community has suffered a great loss. My heartfelt condolences to his family.
Andrej Jonovic
This is very sad news. I had fairly extensive dealings with Mike some years back when he was Chair of the LLB Board of Examiners and he struck me as a man of great charm, integrity and ability. He had a clear-minded commitment both to academic standards and to individual students. The School will miss him greatly.
Simeon Underwood (Academic Registrar)
Mike’s passing is an enormous loss. He was such a decent man. So honest, straight-forward and always without pretence. He was never swayed by what others thought but would always, after listening carefully and thinking about what he had heard, just say what he thought; which was always considered and sensible and, invariably, right. And when he spoke he combined his good sense with his trademark humour, which left you laughing and provided perspective. This is why Mike was the most valued of colleagues for many of us in the Department and why his advice was so often sought. He was also so amazingly generous with his time and patient with those who he taught, which included his colleagues as well as his students. When I wrote a piece that involved some criminal law I saw what an wonderful teacher he was as he gave his time to write long emails to explain where I was wrong and why my argument might not work. He had better things to do than engage with my email traffic but he always made me feel that it was no trouble at all. In all these respects Mike was a role model – as a scholar, colleague, teacher and friend. I will miss him dearly.
David Kershaw
Mike was a brilliant colleague, in every possible way. He was modest, kind, generous with his time, and he could be extremely funny. You could always rely upon Mike to give excellent advice – his judgement was always spot-on. Mike worked extremely hard, but he never seemed flustered or irritable. Through his unfussy, unshowy and unassuming approach to his work, Mike was a wonderful role model to us all. His writing was the same: clear, precise, authoritative and unflashy. I learned a great deal from Mike, and I had huge respect for him as a teacher, an academic but most importantly as a thoroughly decent human being. It was a privilege to have been his colleague and friend. He leaves a massive and unfillable hole at LSE and my heart goes out to his amazing wife Louise. Together, and especially in the past few weeks, they have been a shining example to us all of dignity, grace and integrity.
Emily Jackson
This is a terrible loss. My condolences to family and colleagues.
If anyone wants to see tributes to Mike in an entirely different area of his life, they can see some here: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=617775
John Cox
I was shocked to hear this sad news. My sincere condolences to Mike's family and his departmental colleagues. I got to know Mike through a school committee, several years back now, and was always struck by his good sense, good humour, sharp mind and yet utter lack of pretension. He was a model school citizen and I learned a lot from him. His law colleagues and students have spoken here of much else -- his scholarship, his care in teaching, his humanity. It all makes the loss to the school and indeed to the principles and values of the academy that much greater.
Matthew Engelke
Mike’s thoughtfulness for and about his students was striking. He took their welfare and development seriously and taught with passion and skill. I learned from him and enjoyed working with him. He will be greatly missed.
Neil McLean
I was privileged enough to have Prof. Redmayne twice in my undergraduate student life at LSE: first as a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed first-year student doing Criminal Law, and then as a stressed out second-year student doing Evidence.
On both occasions – ten o’clock on a dreaded Monday morning or three o’clock on a sleepy Wednesday afternoon – Prof. Redmayne managed to accomplish what no other teacher of mine had. He kept us enthralled, engaged and entertained for two hours, all the while teaching the myriad intricacies of criminal law. It is superbly fitting that he taught a course called Evidence: the fact that it was frequently packed to the rafters had less to do with its content and more to do with the person delivering it. The proof, as they say, is in the pudding.
There are moments in life where one looks back and is astounded by how much a particular individual has played a role in their life. There are rarer moments when one realises that they played that role silently, and not enough time was taken to get to know them better or thank them for everything. Few students knew of his illness, his passion for rock-climbing, or even much of his personal life. But almost all of us felt that we could be ourselves around him, even on that very first Monday morning. That, I think, is the greatest gift a teacher can give a student.
He will be sorely missed.
Dhiraj Nainani
I am deeply shocked and saddened by this news. I’ve known Mike for about 10 years and always enjoyed meeting up with him – whether to sort some aspect of LSE life out or to talk about life outside of LSE. I will miss him. My thoughts are with his family, friends, colleagues and students.
Mark Maloney
I am very sad to hear of Mike Redmayne's untimely death. Over the years I had occasional informal 'chats' with him and was struck by his gentleness and courtesy, and of course his commitment to scholarship and teaching. He will be much missed. Please give my condolences to his family and friends.
John Carrier
You couldn’t ask for a better colleague than Mike. He had an incredible intellect, was generous with his time, totally reliable and full of integrity. He had sound judgement and a wonderfully dry sense of humour. I worked with him for about 15 years, both in the Department and on the Modern Law Review. He was an invaluable member of the MLRcommittee and did almost every job there was to do, often more than once, and always faultlessly. We have lost a brilliant scholar and a wonderful colleague.
Julia Black
I’ve known Mike since I joined the Law Department over 10 years ago. He was a lovely man – kind, thoughtful, a true gent. I will miss him. Rest in peace Mike.
Lucy Wright
I met Mike by chance in 2008, when I chaired an appointment committee for an academic post in the Law Department and he was the senior departmental representative on that committee. I sensed then what a nice, humble and fair-minded person he was. I was so charmed by Mike that I stayed in touch with him intermittently after that chance meeting. When he won his teaching prize, I wrote to congratulate him. He replied thanking me, in a slightly embarrassed tone. It was only later that I realised what a brilliant career of scholarship he had had and the seminal contributions he made. I am profoundly saddened by his death at such a young age, and can't help but wonder why sometimes it's the nicest and best people who have their lives cut short prematurely. It's a great loss for the LSE, whose finest traditions he represented, and obviously for the field of criminal law. My consolation is that he will live on through his work and in the memories of his students.
Sumantra Bose
One of my favourite memories of being taught by Professor Redmayne was when he was discussing the admissibility of certain kind of evidence and stated that he didn't know who would be asked as an expert in court about it. He paused for a second, looked confused, and then said, almost surprised, 'I suppose they'd ask me.' For me, this always highlighted his humour, his excellence and his humility.
Professor Redmayne always had time for his students, whether in a classroom or a lift, and many of us identify him incredibly strongly with our time studying at LSE. My thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues.
Niall O'Neill
I was shocked and saddened to hear about Mike's untimely death. Although I only met him on a few occasions, his work on the role of Bayes in the law had a profound impact on my research in the area. Mike always provided carefully considered responses to the many questions I posed him, and he made many excellent recommendations.
Norman Fenton
Professor Redmayne was an extremely helpful and thought-provoking teacher. I was in his Evidence class during my final year of study, and I was struck by his ability to make his students think deeply about the materials at hand. I will for a long time remember his kind words to me and two close friends at our Graduation ceremony. It is with heavy hearts that we learned of the news, and we send our thoughts and deepest sympathies to his family and friends.
Rustin Sarhadi
On behalf of colleagues in the Brunel Law School, I would like to express how sorry we are to hear this sad news. Mike taught here briefly and was a much valued colleague. We offer our sincere sympathies to his family.
Sue Easton
During revision period before the examinations, Professor Redmayne made the effort to reply my email on a question I had despite being hospitalised. ‘Am in hospital now so not easy to respond’, he wrote. He then went on to explain the answer to my question. This shows that he really cared about his students and I will always be grateful for having been taught by him. May you rest in peace, Professor.
Michelle Wong
I knew Mike only slightly, in his capacity as an external examiner for Warwick Law School. From our occasional meetings, it was obvious that he was a generous colleague, an excellent teacher, and a scholar unsurpassed in his field. Of equal if not greater importance, he was a person of warmth, wit and humanity. I wish I'd known him better, but to have known him at all was a privilege. I send my deepest condolences to Louise, and to all of Mike's family and friends.
Paul Raffield
I’m Michael’s cousin from USA, his Mom is my Dad’s sister. My condolences to the Redmayne family. I am so glad that I had the chance to spend a few hours with Michael and his brothers John and Peter, July of 1990, on my trip to England. We had good Indian food and conversation. It so sad that he has left us so early in life. He had a full and honorable life, and will be surely missed by us all. Much love to his wife Louise. May Our Lord Jesus Christ bless the Redmayne family with love, warmth, guidance and peace in their time need.
Roger Tattersall
What a cruel world. To lose such a wonderful scholar and teacher at the age of just 47 is a profound tragedy. I remember Mike fondly from his Birmingham days and have followed his career ever since. His academic writing was of the highest quality and his work has influenced criminal justice researchers and practitioners across the world. Although we met only infrequently after Mike left Birmingham, I still recall with admiration the seminar paper he delivered at Birmingham in 2003 as part of the Issues in Criminal Justice seminar series that I used to run. It was packed full a sharp, insightful analysis and delivered, as always, with absolute clarity. Afterwards, we spend a memorable evening talking criminal justice over dinner. His death leaves a deep hole in legal scholarship and he will be sorely missed. My thoughts go out to his family at this impossibly difficult time.
Stephen Shute
I am deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of Professor Mike Redmayne. I first met Professor Redmayne in October 2008, when I was a first-year undergraduate law student doing the Criminal Law course, and then, later, took Professor’s Law of Evidence course. From my first Criminal Law lecture in October 2008, I was instantly impressed by Professor Mike Redmayne: by the lucidity of his thinking, by the originality of his presentations, and by his straightforward, laid-back and enthusiastic approach to teaching. He helped to instill my passion for criminal law and criminal justice, which has continued to this day. I remember Professor Redmayne as always insightful, kind, down-to-earth and humble, considering all of his great academic achievements. He was always a helpful teacher and had a great sense of humour. I will always remember the witty jokes he made sporadically during his lectures, which never failed to put a broad smile on your face even on a dreary Monday morning. Professor Redmayne was one of the best teachers I have ever had, and I consider it a real privilege and honour to have known him and to have had him as my teacher during my time at LSE. I extend my sincere condolences to his family, friends and to all those who have known and loved him.