Sir William Blackstone
First at any university to give a series of lectures on English law. As holder of the Vinerian chair at Oxford (1758), he established English law (as opposed to canon law or Roman law) as a distinct discipline. His Commentaries on the Laws of England, based on his lectures, are an encyclopaedic and scientific foundation of modern English law and large parts of American law. The lectures that changed the world began in Oxford on Tuesday, November 6, 1753, and cost six guineas.

Christopher Columbus Langdell
In opening a contract class at Harvard in the autumn of 1870, Professor Langdell began a system that was to influence law teaching across the world. Instead of the traditional didactic approach of lecturing a hall of students, Langdell pointed to a student and asked: “Mr Fox, will you state the facts of Payne v Cave?”, then, “Mr Rawle will you give the plaintiff’s argument?” As Dean at Harvard Law School (1870-95) he pioneered the case system of legal study. He wanted students to understand the science of legal thinking. He replied to answers, in Socratic style, with “could you suggest a reason?”.

Andrew Amos
A successful barrister, respected recorder and distinguished scholarly writer, Amos was the first Professor of English Law at University College London (1829), and Professor of Medical Jurisprudence (1831). An extremely popular and effective teacher, all his classes were oversubscribed. His inaugural lecture was so full that it had to be repeated the next day. He held regular discussions with students before and after his lecture classes and thus innovated the law seminar. He was Shelley’s only friend at Eton.

Ivy Williams
Dr Williams was a dedicated teacher and distinguished scholar who tutored and lectured in law to female students of the Society of Oxford Home Students (later St Anne’s College) between 1920 and 1945. She was the first woman barrister in England (1921) and the first woman to be awarded the DCL at Oxford (1923).

Charles Hamson
An exceptional academic in the fields of comparative law and common law and an inspirational teacher. He taught briefly at University College London, then at Cambridge 1932-73. During the war he was captured on Crete and imprisoned for five years. Such was his prodigious knowledge (he carried large parts of the law library in his head) and systematic approach that during his captivity he taught his fellow prisoners law.

Harry Street
An eminent academic who was very popular among his students. He taught at Nottingham, Columbia, Harvard and Manchester University, where he held a chair in law (1956-84). His use of searching and challenging questions in class was reported by his graduates as more terrifying than appearing before a High Court judge but extremely good teaching. His leading text on torts was hailed as the first one to have its chapters arranged in the right teaching order.

Lord Wedderburn of Charlton, QC, FBA
K. W. Wedderburn taught at Cambridge (1952-64) and was Cassel Professor of Commercial Law at the LSE (1964-92). A pioneer of employment law, and of teaching law in its social context. He favours legal study being more than “a game of exciting but arid rules”, as social context elevates it “from instruction to education”. Widely acclaimed as an inspirational teacher by the numerous prominent lawyers, judges, academics, and civil servants he taught. So valuable after graduating that he was offered his college fellowship while on platform 10 at King’s Cross station.

Baroness Hale of Richmond PC FBA
Since 2004, eminent as a law lord (the first female to be appointed to the highest rank of judge). Aside from a period in practice at the Bar and ten years as a law commissioner, she was also a leading and path-cutting academic at Manchester for 18 years (as Brenda Hoggett). Her academic work affected the thinking of many lawyers and significantly changed the contours of family law.

Professor Dame Hazel Genn, QC, FBA
Professor Genn is Professor of Socio-Legal Studies at University College London, and has worked at Queen Mary (where she was head of department), Oxford and Cambridge. Her teaching, informed by her pioneering research in civil law, has substantially affected public policy. She holds the US Law and Society International Prize for distinguished scholarship. Her teaching spans undergraduate, postgraduate and even judicial as she has worked with the Judicial Studies Board for 12 years.

Michael Furmston
Professor Furmston has taught at Birmingham, Belfast, Oxford and Bristol, since 1978, where he is an Emeritus Professor. He has been a Bencher of Gray’s Inn since 1989. An internationally revered authority on contract and commercial law and an extraordinarily effective teacher. Admired by former tutees who include (he has taught for 50 years) judges, academics and senior lawyers across the world. Making a legal point in Parliament one MP said: “I had the great good fortune that my original tutor in contract law [was] Professor Michael Furmston.”

Professor Slapper is Director of the Centre for Law, the Open University. His new book How the Law Works is published by HarperCollins, £8.99

Times Recommends

• BGC 'set aside £40m to lure Tullett brokers'
• Legal aid review to ensure value
• Fears as 21 magistrates' courts face closure