Remembering Professor Emeritus Alex Easson

Professor Emeritus Alex Easson, 1936 - 2007

With great sadness, the Queen's Law community is mourning the loss of long-time faculty member, Alex Easson, who passed away on January 25, 2007. An esteemed colleague and teacher at Queen's Law, Professor Easson was renowned internationally as a leading expert in taxation and foreign investment.

Before joining Queen's Law in 1976, this graduate of Oxford University and the London School of Economics practised law as a solicitor in London, England and taught at the University of Southampton. Professor Easson led a distinguished academic career and retired in 2000 at which time Queen's University granted him the title Professor Emeritus. He had been a visiting professor at universities in Australia, China, Germany and Italy and had worked in many other countries. A prolific and widely published scholar with over a dozen books to his credit, Professor Easson was honoured in 1999 with a Queen's University Prize for Excellence in Research, awarded for major research contributions that have had significant impact. Also, an inspirational and valued teacher, Professor Easson received the Law Students' Society Award for Teaching Excellence in 1999.

After his retirement, Professor Easson worked as a consultant to the International Monetary Fund, drafting new tax laws for Bosnia, Mauritius, St. Kitts, St. Lucia and Sierra Leone. He also advised governments in eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union on behalf of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, and assisted in training officials from those countries.

"Alex was a much loved teacher and highly respected scholar both nationally and internationally," said Dean Bill Flanagan. "He will be greatly missed."

The Faculty extends its condolences to Professor Easson's wife, Trudie, son Andrew, daughter Rachel and three grandchildren, Joanna, Kathryn and Ivan. Visitation will be held at the Robert J. Reid & Sons Funeral Home, 309 Johnson Street, (at Barrie Street), Kingston, Ontario on Saturday, February 3, from 10:30 until the time of the service of remembrance which will be held in 'The Chapel on The Corner' at 11:30.