a great and inspiring teacher, a gentle and generous person and a wonderful friend to all those who had the privilege of knowing him personally.

For ATRIP, this is a special loss also because Bill was among the founders and early presidents of our association. Having taken an interest in the at that time not very popular subject of intellectual property, Bill conducted and promoted research in the topic already in the 1970s at LSE where he became a professor at the age of 33. From 1978, he became a frequent visitor (and later-on a Scientific Member) of the Munich Max-Planck-Institute (MPI), seeking tranquility and inspiration for writing his seminal textbook. At that time, ideas were forming at the MPI in cooperation with WIPO about an  initiative to promote teaching and research in intellectual property on a broader level, reaching out to academics world-wide and trying to establish the topic in curricula of universities in as many countries as possible. The plan was a pet project of the MPI’s dynamic director Friedrich-Karl Beier, who also became the first president of ATRIP. Bill’s presence at the MPI during the relevant time, and his willingness to join the efforts, proved a more than lucky coincidence. Indeed, the initiative would never have been so successful without Bill’s whole-hearted support. It was his wide renown within the academic community in the Commonwealth that gave the association its credibility within the universe of common law that is so difficult to reach for “outsiders”. Also, with his Australian origin, Bill himself personified the association’s goal to embrace all countries and continents in the common ambition to advance teaching and research in intellectual property. Importantly, Bill also injected a good portion of sound skepticism and critical insight into the overly self-assertive attitude prevailing at that time among intellectual property adepts. The openness of debates that we value so much to-date in the context of ATRIP is closely and forever connected with Bill Cornish’s name.

Bill Cornish was also the first ATRIP president to arrange an annual congress not at WIPO’s headquarters in Geneva, but in the venerable academic environment of Cambridge (1987), three years before he took up the Herchel Smith chair of intellectual property there. At that time I myself was not yet allowed into the ranks of ATRIP, but I was close enough to hear ravished stories about the academic program, but also about the great company and new friendships formed during after-sessions at “The Anchor”. That congress marks the beginning of ATRIP’s gradual emancipation from the gentle patronage of WIPO into the independent, self-supporting association of academics that we know today.

Also as a past president, Bill Cornish remained close to ATRIP. He was a frequent visitor at congresses, and he took a vivid interest in the election of new presidents and executive committee members. He loved to discuss ATRIP politics when he visited the MPI, and was particularly pleased with certain tendencies such as the efforts to reach out to, and increase the involvement of, young researchers. All that will stay in our memories. And I personally will never forget that sweet moment in Cape Town, during the last ATRIP congress he attended, when he started to dance, young and lively in his movements as in his heart. So sad, Bill – we’ll miss you!

Annette Kur