Fields of research

Legal literature 12th -19th centuries, history of appeal courts, Scots law 1500-1750.

Main publications

• Scotland under Jus Commune 1500-1660, a census of manuscripts. 3 vols., to be published early in 2010 by The Stair Society, Edinburgh.
• Repertorium manuscriptorum veterum Codicis Justiniani, 2 vols., Frankfurt 2005.
• Verzeichnis der Handschriften zum römischen Recht bis 1600, 4 vols., Frankfurt 1972

Positions held

• Chair of Civil Law. University of Aberdeen (2006/01/01 to 2009/09/30),
• Chair of Private Law, Roman Law, European, Jus Commune, and History of Church Law. Juristenfakultät, Universität Leipzig, Germany (1996/10/01 to 2005/12/31),
• Senior Researcher. School of Law, University of Aberdeen (1995/08/01 to 1996/07/31),
• W. P. Schreiner Chair of Roman and Comparative Law. University of Cape Town, South Africa (1989/02/01 to 1995/04/30),
• Chair “Geschiedenis van het canoniek recht”. Faculteit der Rechtswetenschap, Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen, The Netherlands (1985/12/01 to 1989/01/31),
• Researcher, Max-Planck-Institut für Europäische, Rechtsgeschichte, Frankfurt am Main, Germany (1985-1989 concurrently with chair at Nijmegen) (1976/08/01 to 1989/01/31),
• Research Fellow, School of Law, University of California at Berkeley (1975/08/01 to 1976/07/31, also winter 1979/80, autumn 1981, August 1987),
• Researcher, Max-Planck-Institut für Europäische Rechtsgeschichte, Frankfurt am Main, Germany (1971/11/01 to 1975/07/31),
• Practical legal training, co-ordinated by the Appeal Court at Frankfurt am Main, Germany, leading to German Second State Examination in Law (1969 to 1971),
• Studying law and history at Kiel, Florence, Modena, Frankfurt. Doctor juris utriusque, 1968, Frankfurt, Germany. German First State Examination in Law, 1969 (1962 to 1969),
• Schools in Tyrol / Austria, West-Berlin and Western Germany (1949/09 to 1962/02).

Visiting Professorships held at

• Barcelona-Bellaterra / Spain (1991 Dec. – 1992 Jan.),
• Catania / Italy (twice eight weeks, 1986-1988),
• Louvain-la-Neuve / Belgium (four times fifteen weeks, 1993-1996),
• Montpellier / France (1980/11/01 – 1981/04/30),
• Munich / Germany (1995/05/01 – 1997/03/31),
• Palermo [campus at Trapani] / Italy (1985 Dec. – 1986 Jan.),
• Trento / Italy (four stays of two months, 1989-1995), 
• Würzburg / Germany (1992/05/01 – 1992/07/31).