This collection of essays, lectures, tributes and reminiscences honours the life, work, influence and achievements of the late Professor Derek Roebuck (1935-2020). He was a scholar, teacher, lawyer, prolific author, researcher, editor, human rights activist, feminist and creator of a widely acclaimed ten-volume series chronicling the international history of arbitration and mediation from Ancient Greece to the ‘Long’ eighteenth century (1700-1815).

The scholarly contributions embrace a wide variety of subjects and reflect the breadth of Derek’s interests, learning and expertise. They include the rule of law, transnational and comparative commercial law, modernisation of laws in South East Asia, leading arbitration personalities in early modern England, two US-related commentaries (one on mediation and arbitration in colonial America by Derek, and one on the post-Civil War Alabama arbitration of 1871-1872), transparency and efficiency in modern international commercial arbitration, the role of modern mediation in resolving conflicts, and a literature review of Derek’s histories.

The diversity of Derek’s interests and the esteem in which he was held are reflected in the broad array of contributions penned by colleagues, co-authors (including Derek’s wife Susanna Hoe), students, friends and other contemporaries from an equally broad array of backgrounds. In addition to the scholarly contributions, the In Memoriam tributes reveal the depth and extent to which Derek influenced, guided, mentored and touched the lives of everyone he met.

Also featured in this collection is a selection of papers presented as part of the Roebuck Lectures, a series inaugurated by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in 2011 to commemorate Professor Roebuck’s ten years as Editor of its journal, Arbitration. Two of the featured lectures are published here for the first time. The lectures address subjects close to Professor Roebuck’s heart, such as ethics, diversity, human rights and the historical development of dispute resolution processes. They also include his own Inaugural Lecture of 2011 calling for a fundamental rethink of dispute management.