Arthur Lehman Goodhart

Arthur Lehman Goodhart (1 March 1891 – 10 November 1978) was an American-born academic jurist and lawyer; he was Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of Oxford, 1931–51, when he was also a Fellow of University College, Oxford. He was the first American to be the Master of an Oxford college, and was a significant benefactor to the college.

Early life and education Arthur Goodhart was born to a Jewish family in New York City, the youngest of three children born to Harriet "Hattie" (née Lehman) and Philip Julius Goodhart. His siblings were Howard Lehman Goodhart and Helen Goodhart Altschul (married to Frank Altschul). His maternal grandfather was Mayer Lehman, one of three brothers who co-founded the investment banking firm Lehman Brothers. After returning to the United States, he practised law until World War I. Following the war, he started to pursue an academic career in law, initially at Cambridge University and later at Oxford University where he became Professor of Jurisprudence and subsequently the Master of University College. He was editor of the Law Quarterly Review for fifty years.

Career F. H. S. Shepherd, "University College Fellows", 1934: grouped under the college's bust of King Alfred are D. L. Keir, E. W. Ainley-Walker, A. D. Gardner, G. D. H. Cole, J. P. R. Maud, A. L. Goodhart, J. H. S. Wild, E. J. Bowen, A. B. Poynton, Sir Michael Sadler, A. S. L. Farquharson (in the centre), E. F. Carritt, G. H. Stevenson and K. K. M. Leys.

Rejected for service with British forces in World War I, in 1914, Goodhart became a member of the U.S. forces when the U.S. joined the war in 1917; he became counsel to the U.S. mission to Poland, in 1919.

Goodhart was called to the bar by the Inner Temple 1919, and became a fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and university lecturer in jurisprudence; he edited the Cambridge Law Journal, 1921–5, and the Law Quarterly Review, 1926. In 1931 he moved to Oxford to become professor of jurisprudence. During WWII, he helped Giles Alington as coordinator of the wartime Short Leave Courses at Balliol College, Oxford. He gave up that chair when he became Master of University College, Oxford, 1951–63. Subsequently, he was an Honorary Fellow of the college until his death in 1978. In 1952 he delivered the Hamlyn Lectures.

As a member of the Law Revision Committee, Goodhart helped to promote improvements in various branches of the law.

JFK assassination Goodhart contributed a learned article in 1967 in which he defended the Warren Commission and felt Mark Lane indulged in dangerous and fantastic conspiracy theories.

Personal life Arthur Goodhart was married to Cecily Goodhart (née Carter), a devout Anglican. (after whom Goodhart's law is named).

Legacy Students during Goodhart's Mastership of University College included Bob Hawke, matriculated 1953, who was later Prime Minister of Australia.

The Goodhart Quad and the Goodhart Building (to the east, overlooking the quad and used for student accommodation) at University College, Oxford, off Logic Lane, are named in his memory. The largest lecture theatre in the Sir David Williams Building, which houses the Faculty of Law at the University of Cambridge, is also named "The Arthur Goodhart Lecture Theatre" after him. Cecily's Court, a small open area containing a fountain, located between the Goodhart Building and 83–85 High Street, is named in memory of Goodhart's wife.

Honours and titles 1938 Honorary bencher, Lincoln's Inn 1943, King's Counsel 1948, Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). As a US citizen, an honorary knighthood, and name not prefixed "Sir" 1952, Fellow of the British Academy He received honorary degrees from twenty universities Honorary Fellow, Trinity College, Cambridge Honorary Fellow, University College, Oxford Selected publications