Legal and Regulatory Studies

The Legal and Regulatory Studies division of the Searle Center sponsors faculty research activities through projects designed to focus on specific areas. Much of this research reflects the strong empirical focus on the Northwestern faculty. Research projects, usually spanning at least three years, incorporate a variety of activities including research roundtables, commissioned papers, and research symposia. Current research projects are:

Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Growth
- Advances the understanding of how laws and regulations affect innovation and entrepreneurship.
Competition, Antitrust, and Regulation
- Applies cutting-edge developments in industrial organization economics to antitrust law and competition policy.
Environmental Risks from Emerging Technologies
- Investigates the economic impact of judicial decisions and regulatory policy on energy and the environment.
Empirical Studies of Civil Liability

Examines the impact of changes in substantive and procedural law, with a well-developed specialization in tort reform.