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{{Short description|American legal scholar (1933–2019)}}
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'''Robert Samuel Summers''' is the current William G. McRoberts Research Professor in the Administration of the Law at the [[Cornell Law School]] in [[Ithaca, NY]].
{{for|other people named Robert Summers|Robert Summers (disambiguation)}}{{Infobox academic
[[Image:Faculty_summers.gif|thumb|115px|right|Robert S. Summers]]
| 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]]
}}
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'''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 ==
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>
Robert Summers was born in [[Halfway, Oregon]] in [[1933]]. Summers attended, and graduated from, the [[University of Oregon]] and [[Harvard Law School]].


== Career ==
Summers has won international acclaim for his work in [[contracts]], [[commercial law]], [[jurisprudence]], and [[legal theory]]. Since he came to Cornell Law School from the University of Oregon School of Law in [[1969]], Summers has 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]], and he lectures annually on jurisprudence and legal theory in [[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]].


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.
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Summers currently teaches contracts and American legal theory, and has recently 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'', to be 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]].
== Education ==

*LL.B., Harvard University, 1959
He was well known among Cornell Law School students for his inquisitive, spirited use of the [[Socratic method]] in instruction.
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*B.S., University of Oregon, 1955

*LL.D., ''[[Honorary degree|honoris causa]]'', [[University of Gottingen]], 1994
== Personal life ==
*LL.D., ''honoris causa'', [[University of Helsinki]], 1990
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>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
*[http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/faculty/faculty_bios/summers.html Cornell Law School Faculty Bio]
*[http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/faculty/bio.cfm?id=78 Cornell Law School Faculty Bio]

{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Summers, Robert S.}}
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:2019 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Halfway, Oregon]]
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[[Category:University of Oregon alumni]]
[[Category:Harvard Law School alumni]]
[[Category:American legal scholars]]
[[Category:Cornell Law School faculty]]
[[Category:Fellows of Queens' College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Fulbright alumni]]

Latest revision as of 22:06, 22 November 2023

For other people named Robert Summers, see Robert Summers (disambiguation).
Robert Summers
BornSeptember 19, 1933
Halfway, Oregon, U.S.
DiedMarch 1, 2019 (aged 85)
New Canaan, Connecticut, U.S.
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.
[edit]
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