Study Room Name Series: 5. Willock Rooms
If you’ve ever made your way to the top floor of the Main Library, you may have come across the Willock Rooms. These popular study spaces are named in honour of Professor Ian Willock, a man whose influence on the University of Dundee, legal education and access to justice continues to be felt today.
But who was Professor Willock, and why was this space named after him?
A pioneer of legal education
Professor Ian Willock joined what was then Queen’s College, Dundee, in 1965 as Professor of Jurisprudence. At just 35 years old, he became one of the founding figures of Dundee’s new Faculty of Law, helping to shape it during a period of enormous change, including the University’s separation from the University of St Andrews.
He believed that studying law should involve much more than learning legislation and legal procedures. Students should also ask why laws exist, how they affect people’s lives and how they can be used to create a fairer society.
His innovative approach transformed the way law was taught at Dundee and inspired generations of students to think critically about justice, equality and society.
Law for everyone
Professor Willock was passionate about making the law accessible to ordinary people.
He played a leading role in establishing the original Dundee Legal Advice Centre, where law students, under professional supervision, provided free legal advice to members of the public. At a time when this was a radical idea, it demonstrated that universities could make a real difference within their local communities.
His commitment didn’t stop there. Working alongside colleagues through the Dundee Legal Advice Association, Professor Willock helped secure funding that led to the creation of what became Dundee Law Centre. Rather than expecting people to travel into the city centre, he believed legal advice should be delivered within local communities, making it easier for those facing financial hardship or other barriers to access support.
Over the years, the Law Centre has helped tens of thousands of people across Dundee with housing, welfare benefits, debt, social security and many other legal issues. Professor Willock’s vision was simple but powerful: the law should be available to everyone, not just those who could afford it.
An enduring legacy
Alongside his teaching, Professor Willock contributed to legal reform in Scotland, served on national committees examining alternatives to prosecution, supported the work behind Lord McCluskey’s Reith Lectures, and was a founding member of the Scottish Legal Action Group. His research on Scottish legal history, particularly The Origins and Development of the Jury in Scotland, remains highly regarded today, while his textbook Scottish Legal System became essential reading for generations of law students.
Those who knew him described him as thoughtful, modest and deeply committed to social justice. Although naturally reserved, he inspired enormous loyalty from colleagues and students alike through his kindness, encouragement and belief that education should benefit society as a whole.
The Willock Rooms today
In 2014, a year after Professor Willock’s death, the University named these study rooms in his honour. They were officially opened by Lady Clark of Calton, one of Professor Willock’s former students and now one of Scotland’s most distinguished judges. The rooms also feature Professor Willock’s degree certificates and portrait, serving as a reminder of the remarkable individual whose work helped shape Dundee Law School.
Today, the Willock Rooms provide a quiet place for study, collaboration and reflection. While countless students use these rooms each year, many may not realise they are named after someone who believed education should never exist in isolation, but should always be used to improve the lives of others.
A personal memory
Before moving into communications, I spent many years working in the University’s Law Library, and Professor Willock was always a familiar and welcome face.
I remember him regularly popping into the library to consult legal materials or simply spend some time reading through the newspapers. He was always quietly spoken, approachable and unfailingly courteous to staff. At the time, I knew him simply as one of our regular academics, but looking back, I now appreciate just how significant his contribution was to the University, legal education and the city of Dundee.
It feels especially fitting that one of the Library’s study spaces now bears his name. Every day, students use the Willock Rooms to learn, collaborate and prepare for their futures—something I think Professor Willock would have taken great pride in.
The next time you find yourself on the top floor of the Main Library, take a moment to reflect on the person behind the name. The Willock Rooms are more than just study spaces—they celebrate a lasting legacy of learning, fairness and a belief that education should always serve the wider community.
Acknowledgements: This blog draws on information from Professor Ian Willock’s obituaries published in The Herald and the Journal of the Law Society of Scotland (written by his former colleague Robin White), together with Peter Kinghorn’s article on Professor Willock’s legacy and the University of Dundee news article marking the opening of the Willock Room.
