Jeannette Smit

Jeannette Smit is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Legal History at the Faculty of Law, University of Groningen. She holds a PhD cum laude (2020) from the same institution for her work on Roman law pignus nominis. Her research focuses on applying historical legal insights to contemporary societal challenges, with expertise in Roman Law, Legal History, and Private Law. She coordinates the Togamaster program and serves on the Faculty Council and Program Committee for Dutch Law. As a confidential advisor for PhD candidates, she supports early-career researchers.

Education: PhD in Law (2020, cum laude), University of Groningen.

Research interests center on Roman legal institutions, particularly pignus nominis and actio utilis, and their relevance to modern legal frameworks. She explores historical legal doctrines to address current issues in property law, procedural law, and administrative law. Recent work includes analyzing the actio utilis in pignus contexts and legal metaphors linking nature with jurisprudence.

Key awards include the PhD cum laude distinction. She has contributed to interdisciplinary projects like Hanteerbaar Privaatrecht (2015) and authored a foundational thesis on debt pledges in Roman law.

• Advising: Coordinates Togamaster and advises PhD candidates
• Grants: Not explicitly mentioned; focus on academic service roles
• Affiliations: Member of the Groningen Centre for Law and Governance and User-friendly Private Law group

Her work bridges historical legal systems with modern applications, emphasizing Roman law's enduring influence on private and administrative legal frameworks.