Today, it is common for students to go abroad to study at prestigious universities and, after gaining the necessary knowledge and experience, not return to Russia. Each has their own reasons for this. However, during the time of Catherine II, students studying at European institutions sought to implement their projects in their homeland. This was the case for the promising student of Moscow University, Semion Efimovich Desnitsky.

He was sent to study law at the University of Glasgow, which at that time was considered one of the best in Britain. Among his professors were such outstanding figures as Adam Smith and Joseph Black. Russian students abroad faced difficulties: they had a poor command of the English language, lived in cramped conditions, and government scholarships were often delayed, leading them to accumulate debts. Nevertheless, Desnitsky and his peers quickly mastered complex sciences. While studying English laws and absorbing the spirit of British law, Semion Efimovich dreamed of passing this knowledge to the next generation of his country.

In 1768, a group of Russian students returned home. Desnitsky began teaching Roman law and took on the organization of legal education, laying the foundations of legal science in Russia. He gathered disparate materials to create a coherent scientific representation of Russian laws. Catherine II appreciated his efforts and tasked him with creating the "Representation on the Establishment of Legislative, Judicial, and Punitive Authority in the Russian Empire," which became the basis for the country's collection of laws.

In addition to jurisprudence, Semion Efimovich was involved in other projects. As a person who studied in Glasgow, he taught students English, introduced them to British culture, and spoke about Shakespeare and Hamlet. Unfortunately, Desnitsky did not manage to complete all his endeavors, as he passed away unexpectedly at the age of 49.