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{{Short description|American legal scholar (1933–2019)}}
{{for|other people named Robert Summers|Robert Summers (disambiguation)}}
{{for|other people named Robert Summers|Robert Summers (disambiguation)}}{{Infobox academic
'''Robert Samuel Summers''' was the former William G. McRoberts Research Professor in the Administration of the Law at the [[Cornell Law School]] in [[Ithaca, NY]]. Summers retired in 2011.
| name = Robert Summers
| death_place = [[New Canaan, Connecticut]], U.S.
| birth_place = [[Halfway, Oregon]], U.S.
| birth_date = September 19, 1933
| death_date = March 1, 2019 (aged 85)
| workplaces = [[Cornell Law School]]
| education = [[University of Oregon]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])<br>[[Harvard University]] ([[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]])
| discipline = [[Law]]
| sub_discipline = [[Jurisprudence]]<br>[[Statutory interpretation]]<br>[[Contracts law]]<br>[[Corporate law]]
}}
'''Robert Samuel Summers''' (September 19, 1933 – March 1, 2019) was an American legal scholar who was the former William G. McRoberts Research Professor in the Administration of the Law at the [[Cornell Law School]]. He retired in 2011.


== Early life and education ==
== Biography ==
Robert Summers was born in 1933 on his family's 80-acre farm a few miles outside [[Halfway, Oregon]]. His early academic education was limited, due to the difficulty in attracting good teachers to the remote valley in eastern Oregon. After graduating from the University of Oregon, he became a Fulbright Scholar. He went on to receive a law degree from Harvard University.
Summers was born in 1933 on his family's 80-acre farm a few miles outside [[Halfway, Oregon]]. His early academic education was limited, due to the difficulty in attracting good teachers to the remote valley in eastern Oregon. After graduating from the [[University of Oregon]], he studied at the [[University of Southampton]] as a [[Fulbright Program|Fulbright Scholar]]. He earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from [[Harvard Law School]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-04-09 |title='Giant of a Scholar' Emeritus Law Professor Robert Summers Dies at 85 |url=https://cornellsun.com/2019/04/09/giant-of-a-scholar-emeritus-law-professor-robert-summers-dies-at-85/ |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=The Cornell Daily Sun |language=en-US}}</ref>


== Career ==
Summers taught for 50 years, 42 of them at Cornell. He has won international acclaim for his work in [[contracts]], [[commercial law]], [[jurisprudence]], and [[legal theory]]. During his time at Cornell Law School, Summers authored and co-authored multiple works on various legal topics with a focus on contracts and commercial law. His treatise on the [[Uniform Commercial Code]], co-authored with Professor [[James J. White]], is the most widely cited on the subject. His other influential works include texts on [[legal realism]], form and substance in the law, and on [[statutory interpretation]]. Summers has served as official advisor both to the Drafting Commission for the [[Russian Civil Code]] and to the Drafting Commission for the [[Egyptian Civil Code]]. Professor Summers was recently named principal co-drafter of a new code of contract law for [[Rwanda]]. Summers lectured annually on jurisprudence and legal theory in [[UK|Britain]], [[Scandinavia]], and [[Europe]].
Summers taught for 50 years, 42 of them at [[Cornell Law School]]. He won international acclaim for his work in [[contracts]], [[commercial law]], [[jurisprudence]], and [[legal theory]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=1976-12-26 |title=New and Critical Studies Focusing On Public Employee Bargaining |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1976/12/26/archives/new-and-critical-studies-focusing-on-public-employee-bargaining.html |access-date=2022-12-05 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> During his time at Cornell Law School, Summers authored and co-authored multiple works on various legal topics with a focus on contracts and commercial law. His treatise on the [[Uniform Commercial Code]], co-authored with Professor [[James J. White]], is the most widely cited on the subject. His other influential works include texts on [[legal realism]], form and substance in the law, and on [[statutory interpretation]]. Summers has served as official advisor the drafting commissions of the [[Civil Code of Russia]] and [[Egyptian Civil Code]]. Summers was also named principal co-drafter of a new code of contract law for [[Rwanda]]. He lectured annually on jurisprudence and legal theory in [[UK|Britain]], [[Scandinavia]], and [[Europe]].


He was known for his passionate relationship with his students and research assistants. In the 1960s he began advocating for more minority students in law schools, holding summer sessions around the country, with Robert O'Neil of the University of California-Berkeley, to recruit and prepare minority undergraduates.
In the 1960s, Summers began advocating for more minority students in law schools, holding summer sessions around the country, with [[Robert M. O'Neil]] of the [[University of California, Berkeley]], to recruit and prepare minority undergraduates.


Summers taught contracts and American legal theory with his class mascot, "the particularistic contract snail," and last completed a book on the varieties of legal form and their importance in law, which is titled [http://www.cambridge.org/us/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=0521857651 ''Form and Function in a Legal System: A General Study''], published by [[Cambridge University Press]].
Summers taught contracts and American legal theory with his class mascot, "the particularistic contract snail," and last completed a book on the varieties of legal form and their importance in law, which is titled ''Form and Function in a Legal System: A General Study'', published by [[Cambridge University Press]].


He was well known among Cornell Law School students for his inquisitive, spirited use of the [[Socratic method]] in instruction. He died on March 1, 2019 at the age of 85.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2019/03/robert-summers-pre-eminent-legal-scholar-dies-85 |title=Robert Summers, pre-eminent legal scholar, dies at 85 |last=Kelley |first=Susan |date=2019-03-08 |website=Cornell Chronicle |language=en |access-date=2019-03-09}}</ref>
He was well known among Cornell Law School students for his inquisitive, spirited use of the [[Socratic method]] in instruction.


== Education ==
== Personal life ==
Summers died on March 1, 2019, at the age of 85.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2019/03/robert-summers-pre-eminent-legal-scholar-dies-85 |title=Robert Summers, pre-eminent legal scholar, dies at 85 |last=Kelley |first=Susan |date=2019-03-08 |website=Cornell Chronicle |language=en |access-date=2019-03-09}}</ref>
*[[Bachelor of Science|B.S.]], University of Oregon, 1955
*[[LL.B.]], Harvard University, 1959
*LL.D., ''honoris causa'', [[University of Helsinki]], 1990
*[[LL.D.]], ''[[Honorary degree|honoris causa]]'', [[University of Göttingen]], 1994


== References ==
== References ==
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[[Category:Cornell Law School faculty]]
[[Category:Cornell Law School faculty]]
[[Category:Fellows of Queens' College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Fellows of Queens' College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Fulbright alumni]]

Latest revision as of 22:06, 22 November 2023

Robert Summers
BornSeptember 19, 1933
DiedMarch 1, 2019 (aged 85)
Academic background
EducationUniversity of Oregon (BS)
Harvard University (LLB)
Academic work
DisciplineLaw
Sub-disciplineJurisprudence
Statutory interpretation
Contracts law
Corporate law
InstitutionsCornell Law School

Robert Samuel Summers (September 19, 1933 – March 1, 2019) was an American legal scholar who was the former William G. McRoberts Research Professor in the Administration of the Law at the Cornell Law School. He retired in 2011.

Early life and education[edit]

Summers was born in 1933 on his family's 80-acre farm a few miles outside Halfway, Oregon. His early academic education was limited, due to the difficulty in attracting good teachers to the remote valley in eastern Oregon. After graduating from the University of Oregon, he studied at the University of Southampton as a Fulbright Scholar. He earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from Harvard Law School.[1]

Career[edit]

Summers taught for 50 years, 42 of them at Cornell Law School. He won international acclaim for his work in contracts, commercial law, jurisprudence, and legal theory.[2] During his time at Cornell Law School, Summers authored and co-authored multiple works on various legal topics with a focus on contracts and commercial law. His treatise on the Uniform Commercial Code, co-authored with Professor James J. White, is the most widely cited on the subject. His other influential works include texts on legal realism, form and substance in the law, and on statutory interpretation. Summers has served as official advisor the drafting commissions of the Civil Code of Russia and Egyptian Civil Code. Summers was also named principal co-drafter of a new code of contract law for Rwanda. He lectured annually on jurisprudence and legal theory in Britain, Scandinavia, and Europe.

In the 1960s, Summers began advocating for more minority students in law schools, holding summer sessions around the country, with Robert M. O'Neil of the University of California, Berkeley, to recruit and prepare minority undergraduates.

Summers taught contracts and American legal theory with his class mascot, "the particularistic contract snail," and last completed a book on the varieties of legal form and their importance in law, which is titled Form and Function in a Legal System: A General Study, published by Cambridge University Press.

He was well known among Cornell Law School students for his inquisitive, spirited use of the Socratic method in instruction.

Personal life[edit]

Summers died on March 1, 2019, at the age of 85.[3]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "'Giant of a Scholar' Emeritus Law Professor Robert Summers Dies at 85". The Cornell Daily Sun. 2019-04-09. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
  2. ^ "New and Critical Studies Focusing On Public Employee Bargaining". The New York Times. 1976-12-26. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
  3. ^ Kelley, Susan (2019-03-08). "Robert Summers, pre-eminent legal scholar, dies at 85". Cornell Chronicle. Retrieved 2019-03-09.

External links[edit]