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A tribute to the late Professor James Law, OBE – by his close colleague Professor Judith Rankin.

All of us within the ARC North East and North Cumbria community were saddened and shocked to learn of the death of Professor James Law in October 2021. James was Professor of Speech and Language Sciences at Newcastle University and lead of the ARC NENC’s Supporting Children and Families theme.

James made major contributions to understanding language development, and his influence extended regionally, nationally and internationally. His most recent work during the COVID-19 pandemic was to support the speech and language profession to consider the use of telehealth to deliver paediatric speech and language therapy services.

James was not only committed to producing high quality evidence that could improve the lives of children and young people with language and communication needs, but also to use it to influence government and policy.

Within the ARC, James brought energy, commitment and expertise to his leadership of the Supporting Children and Families theme, and a genuine passion to want to improve the lives of children.

In 2021, James received an Academic Distinction Award from Newcastle University, recognising his outstanding impact.

There are many heartfelt messages and tributes left in the Memory Book (Cover | In Memory of James Law, OBE (theonlinebookcompany.com)).

What is clear from these messages is that James had a lasting influence on whoever he worked with – he was honest, kind, compassionate and an incredibly supportive colleague. He was always willing to share both his time and knowledge with colleagues and students.

His interest and knowledge extended beyond language and communication and he often liked to discuss philosophy. He was also full of fun, and while we always got the work done in meetings, he always found time to be humorous.

An obituary from the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists can be found here:

Announcing the death of Professor James Law OBE  | RCSLT

We are grateful to James for his dedication, mentorship, kindness and friendship. We send our deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.