James Allan Park

Born in Edinburgh on April 6, 1763, and raised largely in England, Sir James Allan Park became a barrister at Lincoln's Inn in 1784. Early in his career he won encouragement from Lord Mansfield, and that support helped launch the work he is best remembered for.

His most notable book, A System of the Law of Marine Insurances, first appeared in 1787 and was widely regarded as a landmark English treatise on the subject. It went through many editions and remained an important reference well into the 19th century, reflecting Park's gift for turning complex commercial law into something more orderly and usable.

Park also served as a judge, and later readers remembered him both as a legal writer and as a figure in British judicial life. He died on December 8, 1838.