Alford Tribute

Agathon Fric
LL.M. ’18

Like many of my peers, my first brush with Professor Alford came in the form of a letter addressed to me in 2017. It came as part of my acceptance package to Harvard Law School. In it, Professor Alford lauded the Graduate Program’s “emphasis on offering the kind of personal attention and support” one would not ordinarily expect from an institution as large as Harvard Law School. 

I was skeptical. 

Upon arriving in Cambridge, however, I was pleased to discover not only that Professor Alford was true to his word—the Graduate Program has indeed created a special environment in which legal scholars of diverse origins and opinions can debate ideas in a spirit of mutual respect and collaboration—but that he also took it upon himself to personally contribute to and actively participate in the social and academic life of Harvard’s graduate class. 

Although I did not have the pleasure of taking one of his courses, I will always fondly remember Professor Alford as the smiling, bespectacled face that greeted me during orientation, that showed a genuine interest in and admiration of my country during the HLS annual International Party, and that graciously hosted us at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center to watch a Varsity Men’s Hockey game during a memorable “FaculTea” event. 

These small gestures—a smile, a conversation, an invitation—might seem insignificant, and I doubt Professor Alford realized their impact at the time, but they each represent an important stitch in the fabric of the HLS Graduate Program, which, three years later, exudes the warmth and familiarity of a well-worn winter coat. 

I know this feeling. It’s the feeling of home. Thank you, Professor Alford, for opening the door and welcoming me inside.

He Pengyu
J.D.’07, Harvard Law School

Prof. Alford and I first met more than 16 years ago. I worked as his research assistant, authored a thesis on China’s civil society under his supervision and was involved in his pro bono work for Special Olympics International. Over the years, Prof. Alford has been an invaluable teacher and mentor, and I am deeply indebted to him for my intellectual, professional and personal growth. 

In the brief space here, I would like to express how Prof. Alford has inspired and touched me in the following ways. First, I’ve admired his principled and pragmatic approach to engage China. He is principled in his intellectual convictions, professional integrity and personal commitments towards a vision of a more just, humane and modernized China. And he is pragmatic in his lifetime engagement with China, which is deeply enriched and informed by his nuanced and sophisticated understandings of Chinese history and society. His work for Special Olympics International is an exemplar of his philosophy and practice: striving for a more rule-of-law-based China must be grounded on understanding and changing its society. 

Second, Prof. Alford’s efforts to combine scholarly pursuits and real-world impacts have influenced me profoundly. I’ve much appreciated Prof. Alford’s multidisciplinary approach to intellectual inquiry. To me, he is not just a legal scholar, but also a Chinese historian and sociologist. More importantly, he does not confine his life in the ivory tower, and actively seeks out opportunities to better the lives of others, particularly the vulnerable and downtrodden. His long-term focus on disability issues in China and internationally attests to this.    

Last but not least, Prof. Alford is a very humble and kind human being. Being a fatherly figure, he sometimes blushes, shy like a boy. 

In the spring of 2004, I first met Prof. Alford in his office hours. During our first meeting, he asked if I would like to work as his research assistant. Now, more than 16 years later, I feel just as lucky as I was then that I’ve got to know someone as kind as Prof. Alford.  

Robert D. Williams
J.D.’10, Harvard Law School; Executive Director, Paul Tsai China Center; Senior Research Scholar and Lecturer in Law, Yale Law School

Professor Alford is a rare combination: brilliant legal scholar, engaging teacher, devoted mentor, and deeply compassionate human being.  On top of being all these things to countless students and colleagues over the years, Bill has also been an exceptional leader and innovator. As Vice Dean for the Graduate Program and International Legal Studies, Bill created innumerable opportunities for students to pursue their academic and professional interests in international law, comparative legal studies, and global justice.

I enrolled at Harvard Law School in large part because I wanted to study international law and China’s role in the world. Professor Alford was instrumental in making my law school experience a rewarding one, and he has supported me at every turn in my journey toward a career that combines law, China, and international relations. I treasure him as a teacher and mentor, but above all as a person committed to the common good of humanity. It is with gratitude and admiration that I congratulate Bill on his remarkable tenure as Vice Dean.

Wang Yueduan
J.D.’15 and S.J.D.’21, Harvard Law School

Professor Alford’s mentorship has been one of the most important aspects of my experience at HLS. He is much more than an advisor on China law. His views on Chinese politics, society, history, philosophy, and its comparison with other countries are all extremely incisive and inspiring. His teachings provide the very foundations for many of the core ideas in my articles and dissertation. In particular, his critiques on my writings are among the most intellectually challenging and helpful pieces of advice I have ever received, which often become the basis for much needed improvements (or soul-searching). He is also a very caring mentor who always looks out for his students’ wellbeing as shown in his tireless work to help the students during the recent pandemic. I am infinitely grateful for everything he has done for me and my friends over the past eight years, and happy that he now has more time to write down his thinking, which will benefit the less fortunate unable to learn from him in person. 

Yun Sai-ree  
LL.M.’82, Harvard Law School; Honorary Managing Partner of Yulchon LLC, Korea

I have had the privilege of Professor Alford’s friendship for more than ten years. Professor Alford is not only an outstanding scholar and insightful visionary but also a person with a warm heart who cares for foreign students in an unfamiliar environment and disabled people in the world.

Guo Li
Professor and Vice Dean of Peking University Law School

In the past decades, Prof. William P. Alford has proved himself as a prominent scholar, a visionary leader, and an amicable mentor and has helped Harvard Law School build up a true worldwide network with ever-increasing global impacts, from which the HILJ also benefits tremendously. There is a Chinese proverb to eulogize teachers: “Peaches and plums do not have to talk, yet the world beats a path to them.” As one of Prof. Alford’s students, I feel very proud to be on such a path, along with thousands of fellow schoolmates from almost every country and continent.