Empirical Studies of Civil Liability
Thursday, October 9th - Friday, October 10th
The Searle Center on Law, Regulation, and Economic Growth at Northwestern University School of Law presents a Research Symposium on Empirical Studies of Civil Liability. This symposium brings together leading empirical legal scholars to evaluate the effects of civil liability on economic activity. The topics addressed are broad ranging and include alternative dispute resolution, tort reform, settlement behavior, and securities litigation.
The symposium is organized by Max Schanzenbach, Benjamin Mazur Professor of Law, Northwestern University School of Law.
AGENDA
Day One - Thursday, October 9th, 2008
7:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast and Registration
8:30 Welcome and Introduction
David E. Van Zandt, Dean and Professor of Law, Northwestern University School of Law
Henry N. Butler, Executive Director, Searle Center , Northwestern University School of Law
8:30-10:15 a.m. ADR
Attorneys as Arbitrators
Stephen J. Choi, Murray and Kathleen Bring Professor of Law, New York University School of Law
Why ADR Programs Aren't More Appealing: An Empirical Perspective
Michael Heise, Professor of Law, Cornell Law School
Is there a Flight from Arbitration?
Christopher R. Drahozal, John M. Rounds Professor of Law, University of Kansas School of Law
10:30-11:30 Procedure
Pleading Standards and Civil Justice: Assessing the Impact of Bell Atlantic v. Twombly
Lee Epstein, Henry Wade Rogers Professor, Northwestern University School of Law
Martin H. Redish, Louis and Harriet Ancel Professor of Law and Public Policy, Northwestern University School of Law
Contingency-Fee Lawyers Paid before their Clients: Class Action Attorneys and the Myth of Objector Blackmail
Brian Fitzpatrick, Assistant Professor of Law, Vanderbilt University Law School
11:30-12:30 Methodology
The Evolution of Contract Law: Positive Political Theory and Empirical Evidence
Emerson H. Tiller, Stanford Clinton Sr. Research Professor of Law, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs: Strategic Academic Initiatives
Jason Snyder, Assistant Professor, Anderson School of Management, UCLA
Accounting for Expectations of Law
Anup Malani, Professor of Law and Aaron Director Research Scholar, University of Chicago Law School
12:30 p.m. Lunch
1:15- 2:30 Settlements I
Settlement and Trial? A Theoretical and Empirical Study of High-Low Agreements
JJ Prescott, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Michigan Law School
Albert Yoon, Associate Professor of Law, University of Toronto Faculty of Law, and Visiting Scholar, Russell Sage Foundation
The Impact of Expected Damage Awards on Settlement in Civil Disputes: Evidence from Post-Trial Outcomes
Seth Seabury, Economist, RAND Corporation
2:45-3:45 Punitive Damages
Judicial Treatment of Noneconomic Compensatory Damages
Ronald J. Allen, John Henry Wigmore Professor of Law, Northwestern University School of Law
Alexia Brunet, Visiting Assistant Professor of Law, Northwestern University School of Law
Why Do States Adopt Caps on Punitive Damages?
Catherine Sharkey, Professor of Law, New York University School of Law
4:00-5:00 Judicial Decision Making
The Effect of Context on Judicial Decision Making
Jeffrey J. Rachlinski, Professor of Law, Cornell University School of Law
Judicial Decision-making and Doctrine in voting Rights Cases
Thomas J. Miles, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Chicago Law School
5:15-6:00 Reception
6:00-7:00 Dinner
7:00-8:00 Keynote Address
The Changing Landscape of Blockbuster Punitive Damages
W. Kip Viscusi, University Distinguished Professor of Law, Economics, and Management, Vanderbilt University School of Law
Day Two - Friday, October 10th, 2008
8:00-9:30 a.m. Medical Malpractice
The Impact of Tort Reform on Health Insurance Premiums
Ronen Avraham, Associate Professor of Law, Northwestern University School of Law
Leemore Dafny, Assistant Professor of Management & Strategy, Kellogg School of Management , Northwestern University
Max Schanzenbach, Benjamin Mazur Professor of Law, Northwestern University School of Law
Does Medmal Reform Improve Access to Care in Under-Served Communities?
Jonathan Klick, Professor of Law, University of Pennsylvania Law School and Senior Economist, The RAND Corporation
Do Physicians Who Are Sued for Malpractice Lose Market Share?
David Dranove, Walter McNerney Professor of Health Industry Management; Professor of Management and Strategy, Kellogg School of Management , Northwestern University
Subramaniam Ramanarayanan, Assistant Professor, UCLA Anderson School of Management
Yasutora Watanabe, Assistant Professor of Management and Strategy, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
9:45-10:45 Corporate and Securities
Civil Liability and Corporate Financial Policy
Todd Gormley, Assistant Professor of Finance, Olin School of Business, Washington University in St. Louis
David A. Matsa, Assistant Professor of Finance, Kellogg School of Management , Northwestern University
The Screening Effect of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
Adam C. Pritchard, Professor of Law, University of Michigan Law School
11:00-12:30 Settlements II
What is the True Settlement Rate?
Theodore Eisenberg, Henry Allen Mark Professor of Law, Cornell Law School
Do Attorneys Know When to Settle? An Empirical Analysis of a Corporate Counsel's Office
David Abrams, Olin Fellow and Lecturer in Law, University of Chicago Law School
The Cost of Representation: Plaintiff's Legal Fees and Expenses in Texas Personal Injury Litigation
David A. Hyman, Richard W. and Marie L. Corman Professor, and Director, Epstein Program in Health Law and Policy, University of Illinois College of Law
Bernard Black, Hayden W. Head Regents Chair for Faculty Excellence; Professor of Finance, McCombs School of Business, Co-Director - Center for Law, Business, and Economics, University of Texas at Austin School of Law
Charles Silver, Roy W. and Eugenia C. MacDonald Endowed Chair in Civil Procedure
Professor in Government; Co-Director - Center on Lawyers, Civil Justice and the Media, University of Texas at Austin School of Law
William M. Sage, Vice Provost for Health Affairs; James R. Dougherty Chair for Faculty Excellence, University of Texas at Austin School of Law
12:30 Adjourn
REGISTRATION
The symposium registration fee is $495, but will be waived for academic affiliates and government employees. To reserve a space at this event, please send a message with name, affiliation and full contact information to searlecenter@law.northwestern.edu or call (312) 503-1811. Space is limited. Please register no later than October 2nd.
Checks should be made payable to NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY and sent to:
Searle Center on Law, Regulation, and Economic Growth
Northwestern University School of Law
357 E. Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
LOCATION
Northwestern University School of Law
Wieboldt Hall, Room 250
340 East Superior Street
Chicago, IL 60611

