Llewellyn, Karl N. (1893–1962)

Often remembered today as one of the leading exponents of American legal realism, Karl Nickerson Llewellyn was a law professor with an eclectic range of research interests, from jurisprudence to cultural anthropology to commercial law. In addition to his scholarly endeavors, Llewellyn was an active member throughout his life in several reform groups, including the Legal Aid Society, American Civil Liberties Union, and American Law Institute (ALI). By the end of his career, Llewellyn had left an indelible mark not only on the development of American jurisprudence but also on concrete legal reform, particularly the standardization of commercial law.

Llewellyn was born in Seattle, Washington, the son of Janet George and William Henry Llewellyn, a businessperson of Welsh ancestry. Reared in Brooklyn, New York, amidst the ...