Faculty Scholarship

In late May, four Harvard Law faculty members, Charles Fried, Michael Gregory, Kathryn Spier and David Wilkins, each shared a snapshot of innovative research with the HLS community, followed by discussion as part of the 2015 Harvard Law School Thinks Big lecture.

In a lecture marking his appointment as George Bemis Professor of International Law at Harvard Law School, Jonathan Zittrain ’95 addressed the impact of algorithms on our lives—both on and offline—in a lecture titled “Love the Processor, Hate the Process: The Temptations of Clever Algorithms and When to Resist Them.”

HLS Professor Oren Bar-Gill LL.M. '01 S.J.D. '05, a leading expert on contract law and behavioral law and economics, and author of 'Seduction by Contract: Law, Economics and Psychology in Consumer Markets,' (Oxford University Press, 2012) recently shared some thoughts about his current and anticipated work.

“Uncertain Justice: The Roberts Court and the Constitution,” an assessment of the U.S. Supreme Court under Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. ’79, written by Harvard Law Professor Laurence Tribe ’66 and Joshua Matz ’12, has been recognized by the American Bar Association, earning the ABA 2015 Gavel Award Honorable Mention.

HLS Professor of Practice Scott Westfahl '88, faculty director of HLS Executive Education, recently wrote "More women means more success," an article for the National Association of Women Lawyers' Women Lawyers Journal on the economic reasons for diversity at the management level.

Many scholars argue that the Magna Carta’s importance through the centuries has been greatly exaggerated. Yet for others, its status as a symbol of freedom and a check on absolute power is undeniable. Elizabeth Papp Kamali ’07, sees merit in both arguments.

As of May 2015, more than 300 research studies have applied the Entrenchment Index put forward in the study What Matters in Corporate Governance?, published by Harvard Law faculty members Lucian Bebchuk, Alma Cohen and Allen Ferrell.

The Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice at Harvard Law School has released a report, authored by Chike Croslin '16, Justin Dews, and Jaimie McFarlin '15 of the Harvard Black Law Students Association, titled Independent Lens: Toward Transparency, Accountability, and Effectiveness in Police Tactics. The report explores the potential and limitations of body-worn cameras for police.

Several Harvard Law School faculty members delivered commencement addresses this graduation season, including Cass Sunstein, Charles Fried and Kenneth Feinberg.

Harvard Law School Dean Martha Minow has appointed Clinical Professor Daniel Nagin as Vice Dean for Experiential and Clinical Education. In that role, Nagin will help to further expand the Law School’s extensive offerings in the area of experience-based learning, and he will work to develop new initiatives drawing upon the school’s wide array of clinics, student practice organizations, and other opportunities for learning through hands-on experience.

Susan Farbstein '04 has been appointed Clinical Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, where she has been an assistant clinical professor at HLS since 2012.

The Edmond J. Safra Research Lab marked the end of its five-year existence May 1 and 2 with "Ending Institutional Corruption," conference celebrating the lab’s accomplishments and featuring presentations by scholars, researchers, and activists.

Acknowledge, Amend, Assist: Addressing Civilian Harm Caused by Armed Conflict and Armed Violence, a 28-page report released this week by Harvard Law School’s Human Rights Program and Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), seeks to advance understanding and promote collaboration among leaders in the field.

On May 8, Harvard Law School Professor Mark J. Roe received the European Corporate Governance Institute (EGCI) 2015 Allen & Overy Working Paper Prize for his paper Structural Corporate Degradation Due to Too-Big-To-Fail Finance.

A tribute to retiring Harvard Law Professor Duncan Kennedy written by former student Karen Engle '89, professor at University of Texas Austin School of Law.

As far back as Aristotle, people have been touting the benefits of group decision-making. Yet, as Professor Cass R. Sunstein ’78 and and Reid Hastie note in their new book, history suggests that groups are often unwise or downright foolish.

For Lani Guinier, the mission of higher education is—or should be—democracy.

In July, HLS Professor Daniel Halperin, will retire after after more than a half-century as a tax lawyer, professor and government official as will Duncan Kennedy who in 30 of his years on the faculty has taught one-fourth of every HLS entering class contracts, property or torts.

John Coates argues that extending speech protections to corporations is bad—not just for democracy but for capitalism.