The University of Otago will wait a year before appointing a new family law lecturer, following the departure of colourful academic Prof Mark Henaghan, former faculty dean, to the University of Auckland.
The popular 300-level family law paper Prof Henaghan taught will not be offered this year, according to the university website.
Dean of law Prof Jessica Palmer said other lecturers at the university had expertise teaching and researching in the area of family law, and the university would be advertising an additional vacancy in mid-2019.
The intention was to have a new staff member begin in 2020, she said.
Prof Henaghan stepped down as dean early in 2018, but stayed teaching at the university until the end of the year.
He had taught 30,000 to 40,000 students.