Jan M. Smits
Encyclopedia
Jan M. Smits is a Dutch law professor. He is professor of European Private Law at Maastricht University and director of the Maastricht European Private Law Institute. He is also visiting professor of Comparative Legal Studies in the University of Helsinki
.
Smits was born in Leiden in 1967. Between 1986 and 1991 he studied law
at Leiden University
and at the University of Poitiers
. In 1995 he obtained his Ph.D degree from Leiden University on a thesis about the foundations of contractual liability. He then taught at Stellenbosch University
and in Tilburg and Maastricht. In 1999, he was appointed to the Chair of European Private Law at Maastricht University, a position he temporarily left between 2008 and 2010 to become professor of European Private Law and Comparative Law at Tilburg University. In October 2010 he returned to Maastricht to found the Maastricht European Private Law Institute (M-EPLI). Smits is known for his critical view of the European harmonisation process; he is also a fierce believer in legal science as an international discipline. He held visiting positions at a number of foreign institutions, including Tulane University Law School
, the University of Leuven, the University of Liège
, Louisiana State University
and the Penn State Dickinson School of Law. Jan Smits is a member of the Ius Commune Research School. He is a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
.
University of Helsinki
The University of Helsinki is a university located in Helsinki, Finland since 1829, but was founded in the city of Turku in 1640 as The Royal Academy of Turku, at that time part of the Swedish Empire. It is the oldest and largest university in Finland with the widest range of disciplines available...
.
Smits was born in Leiden in 1967. Between 1986 and 1991 he studied law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
at Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
and at the University of Poitiers
University of Poitiers
The University of Poitiers is a university in Poitiers, France. It is a member of the Coimbra Group.-History:Founded in 1431 by Pope Eugene IV and chartered by King Charles VII, the University of Poitiers was originally composed of five faculties: theology, canon law, civil law, medicine, and...
. In 1995 he obtained his Ph.D degree from Leiden University on a thesis about the foundations of contractual liability. He then taught at Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University is a public research university situated in the town of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Other nearby universities are the University of Cape Town and University of the Western Cape....
and in Tilburg and Maastricht. In 1999, he was appointed to the Chair of European Private Law at Maastricht University, a position he temporarily left between 2008 and 2010 to become professor of European Private Law and Comparative Law at Tilburg University. In October 2010 he returned to Maastricht to found the Maastricht European Private Law Institute (M-EPLI). Smits is known for his critical view of the European harmonisation process; he is also a fierce believer in legal science as an international discipline. He held visiting positions at a number of foreign institutions, including Tulane University Law School
Tulane University Law School
Tulane University Law School is the law school of Tulane University. It is located on Tulane's Uptown campus in New Orleans, Louisiana. Established in 1847, it is the 12th oldest law school in the United States....
, the University of Leuven, the University of Liège
University of Liège
The University of Liège , in Liège, Wallonia, Belgium, is a major public university in the French Community of Belgium. Its official language is French.-History:...
, Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
and the Penn State Dickinson School of Law. Jan Smits is a member of the Ius Commune Research School. He is a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences is an organisation dedicated to the advancement of science and literature in the Netherlands...
.