Law and Economics

What’s in it for us Civil Lawyers?

Authors

  • Ejan Mackaay Université de Montréal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61243/calamo.23.457

Keywords:

Civil law countries, Common law jurisdictions, Legal thought, Legal institutions, Legal research, Roman law

Abstract

This article examines two questions that may hinder the development of law and economics scholarship in civil law jurisdictions. The first concerns whether law and economics provides insights to civil law scholarship that are as compelling as those observed in common law countries. I will argue in the affirmative. The second question explores whether legal scholarship can contribute to economics. This inquiry is grounded in recent research addressing the puzzle of the critical factors behind the unprecedented economic growth first observed in north-western Europe and subsequently exported to other regions of the world. If the pivotal factor is a shift in ideas and values that underpin individual liberty and dignity, thereby fostering radical innovation, then legal institutions play a crucial role in framing and supporting such transformative changes. 

Author Biography

Ejan Mackaay, Université de Montréal

Ejan Mackaay, born in 1943 in Amsterdam, is an Emeritus Professor of Law at the Université de Montréal and a Fellow of CIRANO. He holds an LL.M. from the University of Amsterdam (1966), an LL.M. from the University of Toronto (1977) under the supervision of Michael Trebilcock, and an LL.D. from the University of Amsterdam (1980), with a thesis titled “Economics of Information and Law”, co-directed by Arnold Heertje and Hans Franken. His academic specialization encompasses the Economic Analysis of Law and intellectual property. He has contributed to various institutions, including serving as a Fellow at CIRANO since 2010, as well as director of the Centre for the Law of Business and International Trade (2005–2008) and the Public Law Research Centre (1999–2003) at the same university. His distinguished career has been recognized through numerous honours, including election as a corresponding member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1986, the Minerva Prize of the Netherlands Society of Translators in 1996 for his translation of the Netherlands Civil Code into French, the Vogel Book Prize in 2013 for his work Law and Economics for Civil Law Systems, and an honorary doctorate from Aix-Marseille University in 2018. Mackaay’s research consistently aims to make the law more accessible by exploring its intersection with neighbouring sciences, including information technology and social sciences, notably within the fields of jurimetrics and law and economics.

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Published

2025-07-02

How to Cite

Mackaay, E. (2025). Law and Economics: What’s in it for us Civil Lawyers?. Cálamo, Journal of Legal Studies, (23), 28–35. https://doi.org/10.61243/calamo.23.457

Issue

No. 23 (2025): Law and Economics: Convergences and Social Impact

Section

Dossier

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Copyright (c) 2025 Ejan Mackaay

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