Dave De ruysscher (1978) (MA, LLM, PhD) is a legal historian and lawyer.

He researches in themes regarding the history of commercial law until the present day. His research has focused on financial instruments, partnership (legal personhood), insurance and bankruptcy, as well as maritime law. De ruysscher considers commercial and economic law of the period between approximately 1400 and around 1700 as a combination of customs, legislative and academic solutions, all of which could be regionally divergent. Commercial law’s contents were crafted in interactions between legal and mercantile professionals, and in reference to contextual factors. In that regard his research stands out among legal and economic historians that contend that commercial law in the mentioned period was customary, or "practical", and harmonized across large regions. The main legal concepts underpinning present-day capitalism developed in dynamic ways. Therefore, empirical historical study is the key to unlock their characteristics.

De ruysscher has written five substantial books, and several peer-reviewed articles and book chapters in English, French, Dutch and Spanish. In 2016, he was awarded an ERC Starting Grant, on the theme of collateral rights and insolvency (see www.clls.eu). In 2022 he obtained an ERC Consolidator Grant on the theme of economic sovereignty, for cities of commerce in the late medieval and early modern period. De ruysscher won the prix Charles Duvivier (Royal Academy of Belgium, 2012), the prize Tijdschrift voor Privaatrecht (2012) and the prix de Stassart (Royal Academy of Belgium, 2021). He is member of the Young Academy of Flanders (Jonge Academie) and of the Young Academy of Europe.

Currently, he teaches 'History of Government and Public Institutions' and coordinates the interdisciplinary minor 'Understanding History and Society'.

Click here for my courses.

• Maurits den Hollander, Authority or Aldermen? Legal Traditions and Commercial Practices on Bankruptcy in Amsterdam between c. 1500 and c. 1800, co-supervisor: Randall Lesaffer, public defense 22 June 2021, cum laude 
• Remko Mooi, Without Regard to Foreignness. The Emergence of Equal Treatment in Early Modern German Insolvency, 1648-1806, co-supervisor: Randall Lesaffer, public defense 25 January 2023, cum laude
• Marta Lupi, Insolvency and Security Interests in Early Modern Lyon, co-supervisor: Randall Lesaffer, public defense 29 November 2023
• Femke Gordijn, Sovereignty and Trade in Southampton and Bruges (c 1400-c 1520), co-supervisor: Randall Lesaffer
• Daniel Bökenkamp, Sovereignty and Trade in Rouen and Lübeck (c. 1450-c. 1620), co-supervisor: Maurits den Hollander
• Andriws Gonzalez Barrera, Sovereignty and Trade in Florence and Toulouse (c 1450-c 1600), co-supervisor: Maurits den Hollander
• Rani Jeans, Economic Sovereignty in Intercity Relations: Southampton, Bruges and Florence, 1400-1550, co-supervisor: Maurits den Hollander
• Florian Herrendorf, External Aspects of Economic Sovereignty: Lübeck, Rouen and Toulouse, co-supervisor: Marco In't Veld
• Rob van Otterlo, Banditisme in Brabant ten tijde van de Bataafse Republiek, co-supervising with Arnoud-Jan Bijsterveld