The article is devoted to the legitimacy of law as a criterion for the classification of legal systems. This article raises the question of the classification of legal systems depending on the type of legitimation. The connection between legitimation and convergence in law is revealed. It is proposed to distinguish between legal systems, depending on the type of legal thinking. The types of “mixed” and “mixed” legal systems are investigated. Special attention is paid to the types of legal thinking and legal culture, which serve as a criterion for the classification of modern legal systems.