Tributes have poured in for the first dean of SMU School of Law, Professor Michael Furmston, who died last Sunday. He was 87. SMU President Professor Lily Kong said, "Our university was most privileged to have had Professor Furmston as the first dean of the School of Law between 2007 and 2012. A highly respected scholar, Professor Furmston has had a long, distinguished career in academia.” She added that his extensive experience, reach, and reputation lent prestige to the young law school, which he strived to steer to international standing. Described by The London Times in 2007 as one of the 10 great law teachers, Prof Furmston expanded the law school's offerings to include Singapore's first Juris Doctor programme in 2009. He laid the groundwork for the new School of Law building and Kwa Geok Choo Law Library, which became landmarks and deepened the school's engagement with its alumni, the community, and the legal fraternity. He continued teaching at SMU after he stepped down as dean and retired as Emeritus Professor of Law in 2015.