John A. Usher †

Professor John Usher had a wide and deep knowledge of European law, as illustrated by the range of topics he covered and by the quality of his publications. He had worked as a legal secretary to Advocate General Warner at the European Court of Justice. He then taught European law at the University of Edinburgh, the University College London and the University of Exeter. He served as Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Exeter from 1988 to 1992, became in 1995 Salvesen Professor of European Institutions at the University of Edinburgh, where he also headed the School of Law for several years. In 2004, he went back to Exeter where he was again invited to head the School of Law. He thus always combined scholarly pursuits with a readiness to serve the law faculty of which he was a member.

Professor John Usher served also the College well. He joined the European law programme in 1986-87. He first taught a seminar on "Legal Aspects of Money in the EEC", which was later transformed into a seminar on "Financial Services, Monetary Movements and the Euro". In 1988-1989, in order to help the Law department, he accepted to teach a course on "The Institutions of the European Community".

Rector Demaret adds that John Usher, who ranked among the best European law scholars, was also one of the nicest and friendliest colleagues one could meet, capable of speaking his mind, without ever hurting the feelings of this interlocutors.

With his sudden death the College of Europe loses not only one of its best professors, but also one of its best friends.