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John Westlake

(1828-1913), Jurist

Sitter in 3 portraits
John Westlake was a lawyer and social reformer who was influential in the field of private international law. He helped establish the Working Men's College, London, in 1854 and was one of the founders of the Institut de Droit International (Institute of International Law) in 1873. Westlake was Whewell Professor of International Law at Cambridge University from 1888 until 1908. Among the social reforms for which he fought was woman suffrage; he also worked actively for the restoration of the constitution of Finland. His Treatise on Private International Law (1858) was a pioneering work in the field as practiced in England, and it had a profound influence on numerous subsequent judicial decisions.

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John Westlake

by Alice Westlake (née Hare)
oil on panel, circa 1896-1897
NPG 4847

John Westlake

by Marianne Stokes
egg tempera on panel, 1902
NPG 1890

John Westlake

by George Milner Gibson Jerrard
albumen cabinet card, 1884-1898
NPG x27354

Related People

Alice Westlake (née Hare) (wife)

Groups

Century Club

Places

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John Westlake