David Hume, Baron Hume of Ninewells FRSE (1757–1838) was a Scottish advocate, judge and legal scholar, whose work on Scots criminal law and Scots private law has had a deep and continuing influence.He became an advocate in 1779, and in 1786 was appointed Professor of Scottish Law at the University of Edinburgh, a post he retained until 1822, when he took up office as a Baron of Exchequer.But manuscript copies were widely circulated and were influential, sometimes being cited in court.In December 1786, he added to these the chair in Scots law in the University of Edinburgh.When he resigned from his professorial post, the university awarded him the degree of LLD.