Rick Verhagen conducts historical and comparative legal research in the area of Roman and modern private law. He focuses in particular on the practical application of (Roman) law and the influence of economic factors on the evolution of Roman (and subsequent) private law. Verhagen’s interest also extends to legal pluralism in both a historical (Roman Empire) and modern (e.g. EU) context. He is currently writing a book on Roman security law (pignus and fiducia) set to be published as part of the OUP Oxford Studies in Roman Society & Law series. Verhagen’s teaching will focus on the foundations of Roman private law, the practical application of Roman law (based on the Sulpicii archive) and the influence of Roman law on the development of Western legal systems.

Verhagen has been a professor at Radboud University Nijmegen since 1996, with a teaching and research mandate in international private law, comparative law and civil law since 2001. Verhagen also works as a lawyer at the Clifford Chance law firm. He has published several books and numerous articles in various academic journals such as International and Comparative Law Quarterly, Tijdschrift voor Rechtsgeschiedenis and European Review of Private Law.