The cover of Lawyer, Scholar, Teacher and Activist depicts an image of Professor Roebuck's books on the history of arbitration, from Ancient Greece to the eighteenth century, positioning this Liber Amicorum as part of the series; a celebration of Derek Roebuck's life, but also a transition from the work of an individual to the works of a collective of scholars (see 27, fn. 38). It offers vivid memories of friendships, relationships and shared experiences. At the same time, it is a triumph of original thinking and writing, and independent publishing; weaving a picture of Roebuck in four parts.

Part One is a celebration of a life that reads like a novel. A husband, a friend, a mentor, a co-author, a teacher, a thinker, an activist, a cosmopolitan lawyer with a joy for life, and an arbitration legend. The reader is drawn into the world of a complex, attractive character; vignettes of marches, lunches, lectures, meetings, collaborative projects, and writing sessions; pictures from around the world come together as fascinating narrative. Lucid, impassioned writing and skillful positioning turn sixty pages of text into what feels like a film rather than a compilation of abstract praises. A fascinating aspect of this Part is that it captures, without the support of visual aids, the character of places. The reader travels between London's Wigmore Hall, academic life in Tasmania, Hong Kong's Foreign Correspondents Club, Paris or Madeira following the life of Roebuck and is left looking for a sequel.

The sequel is provided in Part Two, an introduction to Roebuck's work. Three scholarly pieces showcasing his contribution to the world of arbitration, his ambition and enthusiasm as well as his view of his own works as pieces of a puzzle on coalescing, but distinct and diverse, histories, theories, and philosophies of arbitration. From A Short History of Arbitration, we move to ‘Dispute Resolution in China Waters’, and the perspective of the First American Colonists. Roebuck's talent to travel from real cases and applied examples to abstract concepts and then back to the contributions of specific individuals and institutions makes Part Two compelling reading for those immersed in the world of arbitration as well as the uninitiated. The reader does not need to be a lawyer to enjoy reading these papers; history, pictures of disputes from the past, the focus on the role of women, the use of characters as part of didactic storytelling combined with deep, detailed and pioneering knowledge allow Roebuck to communicate effectively with diverse audiences, enticing them to delve into his chronicle, the series of books on the history of arbitration. It is like watching a talented painter in action, working on multiple, multi-layered, canvasses, drawing intricate details against broad, striking backgrounds. The reader wants to learn more about ecclesiastical courts, family disputes, commercial cases, the role of guilds, the power of royals, dispute resolution mechanisms at so many different levels; methods and procedures are elucidated through links with fascinating characters while applied cases are used to make challenging theoretical points. And each work of art ends with a call to the audience to interact with the work. An activist in his politics, Roebuck is also an activist as an intellectual. He perceives himself as part of a collective, a catalyst challenging other scholars to delve deeper into local, culturally nuanced histories of arbitration, explore parallel and cross passing pathways, and contextualise practice against theory, politics, and philosophy.

Part Three includes the scholarly contributions to this volume that evidence the transition from the creations of the individual to the works of the collective. Roebuck becomes the inspiration for historians, legal academics, practitioners, and judges that have worked with or have been influenced by him. The list of contributing authors is stellar and the topics fit together like pieces of a multi-dimensional puzzle, started by Roebuck in Part Two. The reader can see how a fascinating bigger picture gradually emerges. Chapters focusing on history include a literature review on Roebuck as a historian, pieces on early English history, a chapter on Rembrandt and arbitration, and studies of iconic cases, for example the Alabama Arbitration. There are diverse geographical perspectives, from Asian, European, and US angles. Practical considerations focus on procedure, efficiency, enforcement and education. Theoretical approaches consider the nature and character of arbitration as well as challenges on the themes of transparency and biases. Broader pieces juxtapose the roles of judges and arbitrators, consider parallels or alternatives, explore the role of mediation, and position arbitration against international law, commercial law, and rule of law contexts. Seventeen chapters are attractively and meaningfully positioned by the editors. Again, there is a cohesive, coherent narrative; the reader knows that this is a collection of essays, is entertained by differences in style, understands the contradictions and differences in terms of position, but at the same time feels this is an interconnected book rather than a random collection of essays.

Part Four concludes the volume. Roebuck's work with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators as editor of Arbitration is honoured by the Institute with a series of annual Roebuck Lectures. Here the reader has the opportunity to sample a few, starting with Roebuck's own lecture on understanding dispute management that inaugurated the series. Other themes focus on the social role of mediation, arbitration's challenges and promise, a historical policy perspective, and a view of arbitration from a global, contemporary perspective.

From a lawyer's perspective this is an excellent collection of essays joining Roebuck's work with papers penned by a diverse, remarkable team of authors, evidence of Roebuck's standing in the field and his ground-breaking chronicle of arbitration. As a book, each chapter has its own value. The collective is a must-read text for experienced and aspiring arbitrators, and enchanting reading for anyone else with a modicum of curiosity in the field of dispute resolution.

Two additional points. First, setting aside its legal, historical, and socio-political value, Roebuck's work possesses an additional, almost cinematographic, visual quality. The reader shares lively pictures that Roebuck is drawing with words. His fascination with history and Susanna Hoe's chapter ‘A Room Shared: My Late Husband as Feminist’ probably provide an explanation for this gift. Who knows, one day there could be a popular series on the history of disputes and their resolution. Second, this is a masterpiece in book production. The exquisite cover, the quality of editing, the indexing, everything is done to perfection. Holo Books, the publisher, created by Roebuck and Hoe, the editors, and the editorial team must be proud.

Finally, two quotes from the contributing editors: Neil Kaplan starting his chapter on Rembrandt and Arbitration: ‘Derek Roebuck was a special man. You knew this as soon as you met him’ (321). And Robert Morgan concluding his chapter titled Derek Roebuck, Esteemed Colleague: ‘Vale Derek, a fine colleague, leader, boss, intellectual powerhouse – and, most of all, a consummate gentleman’ (47).