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This course will provide a broad overview of the scholarly field known as "law and economics." The focus will be on how legal rules and institutions can correct market failures. We will discuss the economic function of contracts and, when contracts fail or are not feasible, the role of legal remedies to resolve disputes. We will also discuss at some length the choice between encouraging private parties to initiate legal actions to correct externalities and governmental actors, such as regulatory authorities. Extensive attention will be given to the economics of litigation, and to how private incentives to bring lawsuits differ from the social value of litigation. The economic motive to commit crimes, and the optimal governmental response to crime, will be studied in depth. Specific topics within the preceding broad themes include: the Coase Theorem; the tradeoff between the certainty and severity of punishment; the choice between ex ante and ex post sanctions; negligence versus strict liability; property rules; remedies for breach of contract; and the American rule versus the English rule for allocating litigation costs. There is no formal economics prerequisite to take this course, though some prior training in economics will be helpful. Elements used in grading: Final exam (open-book) plus three short take-home problems during the quarter. Cross-listed with Public Policy ( PUBLPOL 302B). (For students interested in a shorter introduction to economic analysis of law, see Law 7503, "Introduction to Law and Economics," which is a one-unit course also offered during the winter quarter that is graded on a mandatory pass-fail basis.)

This course will introduce students to the "law and economics" way of thinking about the legal system. It is designed primarily for students who have little or no prior training in economics and who are unlikely to take more advanced courses in the field (such as the 3 unit Law 7502, "Economic Analysis of Law"). This class will meet for six 1.5 hour sessions during the first part of the quarter. We will focus on the core bodies of law taught to first-year law students: tort law, contract law, property law, criminal law, and civil procedure. For each of these bodies of law, the economic approach will be described in non-technical terms and then this approach will be used to examine a key case or key issue within that body of law. First-year law students are especially welcome in this course. There are no prerequisites to take this course. Elements used in grading: Two short take-home exercises (graded on a mandatory pass-fail basis).

This seminar will examine current research by lawyers and economists on a variety of topics in law and economics. Several sessions of the seminar will consist of an invited speaker, usually from another university, who will discuss his or her current research. Representative of these sessions have been discussions of compensation for government regulations and takings, liability rules for controlling accidents, the definition of markets in antitrust analysis, the role of the government as a controlling shareholder, and optimal drug patent length. Special Instructions: You may write a series of short commentaries on the guest speakers' papers, of which there will be four. Students electing this option will be graded on a Mandatory Pass/Restricted Credit/Fail basis and receive 2 units of credit. Alternatively, you may write a single research paper on a law and economics topic of your choice. This will satisfy the Law School's Research requirement. These papers will be graded on an Honors/Pass/Restricted Credit/Fail basis. (You may write a single longer paper for two quarters if you enroll in the Seminar in the Autumn as well.) Students taking the seminar for R credit can take the seminar for either 2 or 3 units of credit, depending on the paper length. After the term begins, students accepted into the course can transfer from section (01) into section (02), which meets the R requirement, with consent of the instructor. There is no formal economics prerequisite to take this seminar, though students doing the longer research papers typically have some prior training in economics. Students may take both Law and Economics Seminar (A) and Law and Economics Seminar (W) in either order (neither is a prerequisite for the other). Elements used in grading: Four commentaries or one research paper. Cross-listed with Economics ( ECON 354). CONSENT APPLICATION: To apply for this course, students must complete and submit a Consent Application Form available at https://law.stanford.edu/education/courses/consent-of-instructor-forms/. See Consent Application Form for instructions and submission deadline.

Stanford graduates will play important roles in solving many of today's and tomorrow's major societal problems--in areas such as education, health, energy, and domestic and global poverty--that call for actions by nonprofit, business, and hybrid organizations as well as governments. This course teaches skills and bodies of knowledge relevant to these roles, covering topics such as designing, implementing, and evaluating social strategies; systems thinking; decision making under risk; psychological biases that adversely affect people's decisions; and approaches to influencing behavior. The large majority of the course will be devoted to students working in teams to apply these concepts and tools to a problem of their choice. The course may be of interest to students in Law and Policy Lab practicums who wish to broaden their policy analysis skills. Law School holds classes on February 20, Presidents' Day.

This course explores major issues and debates in the sociology of law. Topics include historical perspectives on the origins of law; rationality and legal sanctions; normative decision making and morality; cognitive decision making; crime and deviance, with particular attention to the problem of mass incarceration; the "law in action" versus the "law on the books;" organizational responses to law, particularly in the context of sexual harassment and discrimination in education and employment; the roles of lawyers, judges, and juries; and law and social change with particular emphasis on the American civil rights movement. Special Instructions: Students are expected to attend a weekly TA-led discussion section in addition to lecture. Sections will be scheduled after the start of term at times when all students can attend. Paper requirements are flexible. Cross listed with the Sociology Department ( Soc 136/236). See "Special Instructions" in course description above. Elements Used in Grading: Class participation, paper proposal, three short papers and a final paper (see syllabus for details).

Drawing inferences from quantitative data lies at the heart of many legal and policy decisions. This course provides the tools, concepts, and framework for lawyers to become sophisticated consumers of quantitative evidence and social science. The course will begin with an overview of basic statistical concepts that will bring everyone to the point where they can read and evaluate empirical studies. We will then focus on a number of empirical debates -- for example, does the death penalty deter murder, do concealed handgun laws influence crime -- as a springboard to teach the logic and terminology of statistical/econometric evaluation of law and policy (regression, statistical significance, identification). No background, beyond high school algebra, is assumed. Anyone who 1) will work in litigation (whether corporate, securities, antitrust, employment discrimination, environmental law) or in public policy, 2) wants to be a better citizen or 3) wants to understand the challenges of establishing causal relationships, and who doesn't already have a strong understanding of statistics will find this course useful. Elements Used in Grading: Attendance, written and oral assignments, response papers, and a final project. To avoid math phobias and fears about ringers from the econ or stats departments, the course is graded as a mandatory pass-fail course.

Many legal and policy debates rest on central claims that are either true or false. Does hiring more police officers reduce crime? Does increasing the minimum wage lead to reduced employment? Do risk assessment tools help judges identify defendants with a high recidivism risk? Most of these questions have been studied extensively, but the findings are often conflicting, making it difficult to identify effective solutions to pressing, societal problems. This course is designed to help students evaluate empirical research findings and to distinguish studies that are credible from those that are less credible. We will spend a significant amount of time understanding the markers of strong research designs and how to communicate findings transparently and effectively. The course focuses exclusively on the concepts underlying (social) scientific research, not their inner machinations. Among others, this means that mathematical / statistical training is neither required nor acquired during the course. Everything we will cover will be based on plain language and intuitive, visual aids like figures and charts. Still, those with extensive technical training will sometimes have spent significant time thinking through difficult concepts like causality. To avoid the impact of potential discrepancies in student preparedness, the course is graded as a mandatory pass-fail course. Elements used in grading: Attendance, class participation, written assignments.

You want to do important, meaningful, and impactful work. You've got the legal skills and the intellectual firepower, but leaders in law and business are looking for more than that from their trusted advisors. They want attorneys who not only excel at issue spotting, but also strategic problem solving, communication and the ability to deal with ambiguity and complexity. Research demonstrates that these skills can be learned and strengthened. Using neuroscience techniques to optimize adult learning, students will develop skills in strategic decision making, influence techniques, motivating others to work toward shared goals and adapting communication styles for clients and colleagues. This is a hands-on class, with a focus on classroom exercises and short reflection papers, designed to help students use their past and current experiences to identify areas for development and create new habits for success. Special Instructions: Students on the waitlist for the course will be admitted if spots are available on the basis of priority and degree program. Elements used in grading: Class participation and attendance, course exercises and written assignments.

The emergence of the "multi-door" courthouse and the rapid growth of private alternative dispute resolution (ADR) providers has re-shaped the litigation landscape. Today, civil litigators face "process pluralism" both in our courts and the private sector in which lawyers represent clients in arbitrations, mediations, and a broad range of hybrid processes. This course seeks to provide students with an overview of the policies, options, and strategies confronting lawyers as society increasingly turns to alternative forms of dispute resolution. The growth of ADR processes reflects its perceived benefits to parties, by comparison to court-based adjudication. In this seminar we will take a critical look at both arbitration and mediation. The goal is for you to understand the law and policy behind these alternatives and to be able to provide effective counseling and representation in ADR processes. We will learn about the public and private law that governs arbitration and mediation agreements and proceedings; discuss how these processes "work" in resolving actual disputes; and consider the controversies that have arisen in recent years over the use of ADR in different contexts. Elements used in grading: class participation, discussion, two written assignments, exam.