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It is with deep regret and sorrow that the Permanent Bureau (PB) announces the passing of Professor William Duncan, former Deputy Secretary General of the HCCH, on 3 August 2025.

Professor Duncan was a pillar of the HCCH and a leading figure in the development of international family law. Beginning in 1989, he represented Ireland as an expert and delegate at the HCCH, where he played key roles as a member of the Drafting Committee for the 1993 Adoption Convention and as Chair of the Drafting Committee for the 1996 Child Protection Convention. His expertise, both as an academic and as a Law Reform Commissioner, was instrumental in shaping these instruments.

In 1997, Professor Duncan joined the PB as First Secretary and was appointed Deputy Secretary General in 2000, a position he held until his retirement in 2011. He had primary responsibility for the HCCH Conventions relating to children, including the above-mentioned instruments and the 1980 Child Abduction Convention, as well as for the work of the PB relating to the negotiations of the 2000 Protection of Adults Convention, the 2007 Child Support Convention, and the 2007 Maintenance Obligations Protocol. Professor Duncan was also the driving force behind several major cooperation and implementation initiatives, including the development of technical assistance programmes and the launch of the Malta Process.

Beyond the HCCH, Professor Duncan made lasting contributions to family law in Ireland. He was Professor of Law at Trinity College Dublin, a Member of the Law Reform Commission of Ireland, and, more recently, a Member of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters. In 2012, Professor Duncan was recognised by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for his exceptional contributions to “the development of international law, particularly international child protection”, honouring his numerous contributions as expert, delegate, and Deputy Secretary General of the HCCH. In 2020, he was named one of 14 honourees of the Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad, in recognition of his exceptional service in the category of “Peace, Reconciliation, and Development”.

Professor Duncan will be remembered by all at the PB, and by all who had the privilege of working with him, as a visionary leader, a warm and dedicated colleague, and a dear friend. He upheld a lifelong commitment to justice for the most vulnerable. His legacy will endure through the many instruments he helped to establish, and in the countless lives improved through his work and devotion.

Professor Duncan’s wife, Ilana, passed away in 2022. They are survived by their four children. The PB extends its deepest sympathies to Professor Duncan’s family.