Josef Esser ranks among the most influential German private law scholars of the Bonn Republic. This volume comprises twelve articles that situate Esser's work at the intersection of private law, legal methodology, and legal doctrine. The articles examine Esser's contributions to the law of obligations, tort law, the critique of legal methodology, the theory of judicial law making, and his place within the private law scholarship of the Bonn Republic. They explore Esser's lasting influence on private law thought as well as the continuing significance of his work for legal scholarship in Germany and abroad. Moreover, the volume includes five previously unpublished texts from Esser's literary estate and two of his early newspaper articles. The result is an original reference work for those interested in Josef Esser and his body of thought.