He held the post for fifty-two years.Pothier paid particular attention to the correction and co-ordination of the text of the Pandects.
His Pandectae Justinianae in novum ordinem digestae (Paris and Chartres, 1748-1752) is a classic in the study of Roman law.
In 1749 he was made professor of law at the University of Orleans.He wrote many learned monographs on French law, and much of his work was incorporated almost textually in the French Code Civil.