Law

by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

Video Broadcast

• When Rangoon University was established in December 1920, it had the Department of Law.
• U May Aung served as the first Professor.

U May Aung

• U May Aung (Barrister-at-law, LL.D) served as Professor of Law from 1920 -1922.
• Rakkhine national
• Later became Home Minister
• Father of Daw Mya Sein (Scholar).

Sir Arthur Eggar

• Law Professor (1923 – 1937)
• Earlier : Lecturer in the Maths Department at Rangoon College, and Legal Advisor in the Middle East
• Founded Rangoon University Boat Club in 1923. Elected as Life President.
• Pledged a third of his salary for the operation of RUBC.
• Wrote autobiography (in three installments) for the Guardian Magazine in the mid 50s.

• Several Old Members including me reprinted his autobiography for the 90th Anniversary of the founding of RUBC. YUBC OMA has copies of Sir Arthur Eggar’s autobiography.

Dr. Ba Han

• Alumnus of Sorbonne University
• Law Professor for two terms : (1937 – 1942) and (1946 – 1950).
• Rangoon University was closed for a period during the war.
• Complied a dictionary.

• Dr. Ba Maw (Adipati) is his brother. He earlier was English Lecturer at Rangoon University.
• Both brothers attended De La Salle Schools.

U Kyaw Myint

• Stood first in Burma in Matric with distinctions in all subjects from Central. He was selected by Mr. Matthew Hunter (Principal of Rangoon College) to take the Entrance exam of Calcutta University to study Medicine. He requested the Principal that he wanted to pay last respect to his mother. The Principal warned that he would be expelled if he did not take the entrance exam. He attended his mother’s last journey and was expelled from the College. Worse still, his father threatened to disown him. The Kan So Kan Kaung story of U Kyaw Myint can be read in a series of blogs by his son Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint and re-printed in my web site hlamin.com
• Served as Professor of Law and Dean of the Faculty of Law from 1950 – 1958.
• Earlier served as Justice of High Court and Supreme Court, Head of the Tribunal that tried Galon U Saw and co-founder of a political party with Dr. Ba Maw. He later founded his law firm.

• Has an elder brother (ICS U Tin Tut), two younger brothers (U Myint Thein & Dr. Htin Aung), and three younger sisters (Daw Khin Mya Mu, Daw Khin Saw Mu & Daw Tin Saw Mu).
• According to Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint, his father had full confidence in his students (e.g. Guardian U Sein Win, Sao Hso Holm, U Mya Thein).

Law Professors (for the later periods)

• U Myint (1958 – 1961)
• U Aung Khine (1961 – 1964)
• U Hla Aung (1965 – 1971)
• U Tin Ohn (1971 – 1986)
• U Tin Aung Aye (1986 – 1994)
• Daw Than Nwe (1994 – 2007)
• Dr. Daw Khin Mar Yi (2007 – 2018)

Law Degrees

• In the early days, BL (Bachelor Law) was studied as a post-graduate degree (e.g. after B.A. or B.Sc.)
• Several student politicians enrolled in the program to preserve their eligibility as RU students.

• Under the new Education System, LL.B was established.
• It was a five year study after Matriculation.

Related posts in RU Centennial

• First batch of LL.B graduates
• Several other batches
• Sayamas known for their beauty and teaching.

• Dr. Maung Maung Kha’s daughter Daw May Thi Ka was a sayama at the Law Department before she moved to the USA. She was a core organizer and coordinator for the groups raised fund for Saya Kha’s Centennial.
• Some practitioners of Law took exams for HGP and RL.
  

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