J.M. Smits
Full Professor of European Private Law and Comparative Lawjan.smits@uvt.nl
Tilburg Law School
TICOM
Expertise
Jan Smits' research interests range from European private law and comparative law to legal theory and 'law and...' approaches. He has a special interest in the debate about harmonisation of law in the European Union and in the various ways in which Europeanisation and globalisation influence the law. He is a fierce believer in legal science as an international discipline.
Key words
Publications
Principal publications- Jan M. Smits (ed.), Elgar Encyclopedia of Comparative Law, Cheltenham-Northampton 2006 [Edward Elgar Publishing], 821 pp.
- Jan M. Smits (ed.), The Need for a European Contract Law: Empirical and Legal Perspectives, Groningen 2005 [Europa Law Publishing], 188 pp.
- Jan M. Smits, The Making of European Private Law; Toward a Ius Commune Europaeum as a Mixed Legal System, Antwerp-Oxford-New York 2002 (Intersentia-Hart Publishing-Transnational), 306 pp.
- Jan M. Smits, Convergence of private law in Europe: towards a new ius commune?, in: Esin Örücü & David Nelken (eds.), Comparative Law: A Handbook, Oxford 2007 [Hart Publishing], pp. 219-240.
- Jan Smits, Comparative Law and its Influence on National Legal Systems, in: M. Reimann & R. Zimmermann (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Law, Oxford 2006 [Oxford University Press], pp. 513-538
Click here for the extended list of publications 
Career
After his study of law in Leiden and Poitiers (1986-1991), Jan Smits received his PhD at Leiden University (1995) on a study of how contractual liability can best be explained. In 1995 and 1996, he taught private law at the universities of Stellenbosch and Tilburg. He then was appointed at Maastricht University, first as an associate professor (1996-1999) and then (1999) to the Chair of European Private Law (the first chair for this topic worldwide). In 2008, he moved to the Chair of European Private Law and Comparative Law in the University of Tilburg under a special scheme of the Tilburg university board. He held visiting positions at a number of foreign institutions, including Tulane Law School, Leuven University, the University of Liège, Louisiana State University and the Dickinson School of Law. Jan Smits is also research professor of Comparative Legal Studies in the University of Helsinki, a member of several editorial and advisory boards and a honorary judge in the Amsterdam Court of Appeal. A full curriculum vitae (including a list of publications) is available at http://works.bepress.com/jan_smits
Publications
Principal publications- Jan M. Smits (ed.), Elgar Encyclopedia of Comparative Law, Cheltenham-Northampton 2006 [Edward Elgar Publishing], 821 pp.
- Jan M. Smits (ed.), The Need for a European Contract Law: Empirical and Legal Perspectives, Groningen 2005 [Europa Law Publishing], 188 pp.
- Jan M. Smits, The Making of European Private Law; Toward a Ius Commune Europaeum as a Mixed Legal System, Antwerp-Oxford-New York 2002 (Intersentia-Hart Publishing-Transnational), 306 pp.
- Jan M. Smits, Convergence of private law in Europe: towards a new ius commune?, in: Esin Örücü & David Nelken (eds.), Comparative Law: A Handbook, Oxford 2007 [Hart Publishing], pp. 219-240.
- Jan Smits, Comparative Law and its Influence on National Legal Systems, in: M. Reimann & R. Zimmermann (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Law, Oxford 2006 [Oxford University Press], pp. 513-538
Click here for the extended list of publications
Projects
The full text of almost all journal articles and contributions to books can be downloaded at http://www.jansmits.eu (contributions in English and Dutch) or at http://ssrn.com/author=490259 (only in English).
Teaching
J.M. Smits teaches the following subjects:
- The Common Law of Europe (600293) Further information
- European Private Law (650255) Further information
- European Private Law for IEL (650256) Further information
-
A Common Law for Europe (840016)
Further information
Other activities
Jan Smits is also visiting professor at the Center of Excellence in Foundations of European Law and Polity of the University of Helsinki and deputy judge in the Amsterdam Court of Appeal. An overview of invited lectures, visiting positions, membership of editorial boards and other activities can be found in his full curriculum vitae, downloadable at http://works.bepress.com/jan_smits
Room M 516
PO Box 90153
5000 LE Tilburg
| Tel. | +31 13 466 8960 |
| If no reply +31 13 466 8954 |
Full Professor of European Private Law and Comparative Law
Tilburg Law School
TICOM
| Mon | Tues | Wed | Thurs | Fri | |
| Morning |
|
|
|
|
|
| Afternoon |
|
|
|
|
|
Search experts
Search expertise
In which field are you looking for a researcher or scientist?