In Memorium: Duncan Alford

Duncan Alford, Affiliate Dean for the Regulation Library and Professor of Regulation, handed away
on Feb. 18.  

Previous to becoming a member of the regulation college in 2007, he served as head of reference and adjunct
professor on the Georgetown College Regulation Library, regulation librarian at Princeton College,
and reference librarian on the Columbia College Regulation Library.  

He was admitted to observe regulation in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia and
at varied instances practiced company regulation, banking regulation, and industrial actual property
regulation. Alford additionally served as consulting director of the Peking College College of
Transnational Regulation Library, which gives a United States-style juris doctorate and
a juris grasp in Chinese language regulation. Earlier than attending regulation college, Duncan was a enterprise
analyst with McKinsey & Firm, Inc., in Atlanta. 

The next remembrances have been written by Duncan’s regulation college colleagues, who miss
him vastly. 

Duncan was a person of wealthy mind and spirituality. He was a consummate skilled
whose recommendation I commonly sought and whose supply I trusted to be balanced with sensible
knowledge and dapper humor. I’m proud to name him a colleague. I’m extra proud to name
him a buddy.  
—Jan Baker, Affiliate Dean for Range, Fairness, and Inclusion  

Duncan was probably the most diligent individuals with whom I’ve ever labored. He by no means
over- or under-promised. He knew what he may obtain and he did it. However I most appreciated
his honesty. He by no means simply tried to win an argument. He tried to search out one of the best decision
for everybody and prevented considering his place was the one strategy to get there. He was
actually an institutional pillar that we’ll by no means substitute. 
—Derek Black, Professor of Regulation  

Duncan was an clever, exact individual with a pointy wit, and sharper mind.
He was, above all, a gentleman.  
—Regenia Dowling, Administrative Coordinator/Enterprise Supervisor  

Duncan was all the time phenomenally skilled and hardworking – an excellent colleague. He
cared an excellent deal concerning the regulation college and the Coleman Karesh Library, however, even
extra, he cared about everybody who labored for him and with him.  
—Lisa Eichhorn, Director of Authorized Writing and Professor of Regulation  

Duncan was a revered chief in our regulation college. He was good and type. He elevated
all who labored with him, and he impressed our college students to be one of the best they are often.
We deeply miss him, however his contributions to our college and college will endure for
years to return. 
—William Hubbard, Dean and Professor of Regulation 

I’ve a vivid reminiscence of Duncan dancing on the street throughout a drive-by to have a good time
a colleague.  Due to Covid, we couldn’t collect, however I watched with delight as
Duncan danced with pleasure to precise his happiness for her accomplishments.  This reminiscence
of Duncan has all the time made me smile; it captures him in an unguarded second, rejoicing
with associates.  Right now, this reminiscence brings me consolation. 
—Susan Kuo, Affiliate Dean for Tutorial Affairs  

I’ll miss Duncan’s humorousness and whimsy. He was a severe scholar and a gifted
administrator, however he had a lighthearted aspect. He got here to work final Halloween dressed
as Mario. He introduced his Grogu toy to work and took footage with it. He wore seasonal
ties and suspenders on holidays. He often introduced devices to work and entertained
us with them, just like the drone he flew across the courtyard or the little remote-controlled
robotic that adopted him round like a canine. I took these issues as a right till now. 
—Rebekah Maxwell, Affiliate Director for Library Operations 

Duncan was a effective administrator, employed glorious individuals, and had imaginative and prescient for the place
we wish to go. He was good with individuals, simple to work with, and all the time centered on bettering
service. He might be missed and a troublesome act to comply with.  
—John Montgomery, Dean Emeritus  

I’ll all the time bear in mind Duncan as a terrific colleague, in addition to for his professionalism,
his dedication to the College of Regulation, his dedication to his college students and to the authorized
group. I all the time loved the initiatives we labored on collectively, particularly the transfer
from the outdated constructing to the brand new constructing. Lastly, Duncan had a terrific, sly sense
of humor which frequently introduced a joyful second to conferences. He might be sorely missed.
 
—Gary Moore, Assistant Dean for Tutorial Expertise  

Duncan set an instance of work-life stability. He inspired the librarians to fulfill excessive
requirements in our work, and to take enjoyable and restorative break day, as he did, usually
bringing again treats to share from his travels. In moments of playfulness, and to
present content material for the regulation library’s social media, he even introduced his drone and
Star Wars associated toys to work. He is not going to be forgotten. 
—Eve Ross, Reference Librarian  

Duncan made an affect in every little thing he did. At the same time as he managed an immense administrative
load in main the Regulation College Library, he continued to conduct analysis domestically
in addition to in Nigeria and in China that can have lasting results for many years to return.
I’m honored for him to have been my colleague for greater than a decade however much more
lucky to have had Duncan as a buddy for simply as lengthy. 
—Joel Samuels, Dean, School of Arts and Sciences  

Duncan would commonly attain out to personally share articles and stories and hyperlinks
and assets that have been completely tailor-made to my areas of analysis. It was clear that
he cared about individuals, data, and connections between the 2. He additionally cared about
our regulation college and its future. Certainly, the planning paperwork he ready for our
college and for our library have been so thorough that I used to be relieved to lastly catch a
small typo in a single and thereby present I had learn it!  
—Bryant Walker Smith, Affiliate Professor of Regulation 

Duncan made everybody round him higher off. He put the individual first and coverage second.
I’ll always remember disagreeing with him on some seemingly unimportant matter in a gathering.
Afterward, I requested him privately if my disagreement had been offensive. He appeared
straight at me, smiled, and began to snigger: it could take way more than a coverage
disagreement to upset him, he assured me. Duncan was all the time supportive, skilled,
and type. I all the time felt welcomed and appreciated by him.
—Ned Snow, Affiliate Dean for School Growth and Scholarship 

Duncan was top-of-the-line – administrators, bosses, mentors, associates, and human beings.
I’ll ceaselessly be glad about his knowledge, kindness, persistence, recommendation, flexibility,
humor, tenacity, and dedication to these and for that he held expensive. He gave me help
and encouragement to develop professionally and taught me so very a lot. He’s and can
be vastly missed. 
—Candle Wester, Interim Affiliate Dean for the Regulation Library 

Duncan’s hand within the design and building of the brand new regulation college was as necessary
as anybody’s. His consideration to future wants and to design element was invaluable. Duncan
was happy with that accomplishment, however he by no means didn’t put first the individuals within the
constructing. Duncan held everybody to excessive requirements. However what I bear in mind finest is that,
when a difficulty arose with a member of his employees or with a school colleague, Duncan
by no means misplaced religion in that individual. As an alternative of giving up, he labored tougher with these
whose efficiency gave him concern. As a rule, his efforts succeeded.   
—Rob Wilcox, Dean Emeritus and Professor of Regulation  

Every time I crossed paths with Duncan, he all the time discovered a strategy to establish our mutual
pursuits and begin up an excellent dialog.  I loved our chats about matters from
Charlotte to Shenzhen on my walks to the car parking zone with Duncan. 
—Emily Winston, Assistant Professor of Regulation