Alfred Charles Emden

Alfred Charles Richard Emden, was a barrister and County Court judge best remembered as the author of the building law text The Law relating to Building Leases and Building Contracts which was first published by Stevens and Haynes in London in 1882. Subsequent editions appeared into the 1980s. This text gave rise to the Emden Formula to measure head office costs in construction delay claims, an alternative to the better-known Hudson Formula.

Emden was born in 1849, the third son of William S. Emden. He was educated at King’s School, Canterbury and in Paris under Professor Meliot. He entered the Inner Temple as Barrister in 1880. His publications included the Law of Building, The Practice in Winding up Companies, Complete Collection of Practice Statutes, Various Digests of Cases, and several articles on legal reform.

Judge Emden was noted for the rapidity with which he dealt with cases before his court. He was often at odds with his fellow judges in the matter of case congestion. In the latter years of his life, a disagreement with a junior council caused severe comments regarding his conduct to be made by the Lord Chief Justice of England.

He was a member of the Savage Club and his recreations included motoring and golf. He lived in Crowborough, Sussex and Bromley, Kent.

Emden’s son was Alfred Brotherston Emden, the well known Principal of St Edmund Hall, Oxford.

Judge Emden died on 18 February 1911.

...
Wikipedia