The interaction between economics and law has provided a theoretical perspective that has significantly influenced the way that law is conceptualized and analyzed. The tools of economic analysis also provide one means of critically examining the way that law functions and thinking about how we might want to design laws to better achieve the social objectives that underpin them. This course will involve both study and critique of the law and economics approach.The course will introduce students to the central tools and concepts of law and economics. We will begin with a brief introduction to some basic economic theory and move on to study the application of law and economics analysis to particular problems in a variety of substantive legal domains. Applications in the area of property, tort, criminal, environmental law and equality rights, among other substantive domains, will be considered.3 credits, fall termProfessor
