Law before and after Rudolf Jhering

the article is devoted to the analysis of the scientific contribution to legal science of the famous German jurist, founder of the modern sociological and historical school of law - Rudolf von Jhering. The work reflects the formation of the personality of an outstanding lawyer in the context of the historical era to which he belonged. The author highlights the key ideas and provisions of the main works of the scientist, examines their impact on the development of law. The role of R. Jhering in popularizing the ideas of the theory of law and their implementation in real life is emphasized. The author comes to the conclusion that Rudolf von Jhering is more than just a lawyer, he is a cultural scientist, sociologist, and thinker, and his bold ideas changed the meaning and understanding of law, giving it its current meaning.