George Mason Law & Economics Center Workshop on Empirical Methods for Law Professors

Law and Economics Center, George Mason University School of Law, Arlington, Virginia

Monday, May 21 to Friday, May 25, 2012

The Workshop on Empirical Methods for Law Professors is designed to teach law professors the conceptual and practical skills required to (1) understand and evaluate others' empirical studies, and (2) design and implement their own empirical studies. Participants are not expected to have background in statistical knowledge or empirical skills prior to enrollment. Instructors have been selected in part to demonstrate the development of empirical studies in a wide-range of legal and institutional settings including: antitrust, business law, bankruptcy, class actions, contracts, criminal law and sentencing, federalism, finance, intellectual property, and securities regulation. Class sessions will provide participants opportunities to learn through faculty lectures, drawing upon data and examples for cutting edge empirical legal studies, and participating in experiments. There will be numerous opportunities for participants to discuss their own works-in-progress or project ideas with the instructors.

TOPICS: Topics covered include:
- Research Design
- Finding Data
- Basic Probability Theory
- Descriptive Statistics
- Formulating Testable Hypotheses
- Specification
- Statistical Inference
- Cross-Sectional Regression
- Time Series Regression
- Panel Data Techniques
- Sensitivity Analysis
- Experimental Methods

WORKSHOP FACULTY:
- Eric Helland, Ph.D., Claremont-McKenna College ( http://www.cmc.edu/academic/faculty/profile.asp?Fac=159)
- Jonathan Klick, J.D., Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania School of Law ( http://www.law.upenn.edu/cf/faculty/jklick)
- Bruce Kobayashi, Ph.D., George Mason University School of Law ( http://www.law.gmu.edu/faculty/directory/fulltime/kobayashi_bruce)
- Joshua Wright, J.D., Ph.D., George Mason University School of Law ( http://www.law.gmu.edu/faculty/directory/fulltime/wright_joshua)

SCHEDULE: The Workshop will begin on Monday May 21, at 8:30 a.m. and conclude on Friday May 25, at 12:00 pm. Classes on May 21 - 24 will run from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, and include lectures and applied "hands-on" sessions. On May 25, the participants will have an opportunity to present their own empirical projects or "works in progress" and receive feedback from instructors and other participants.

VENUE: George Mason University School of Law, 3301 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22201

Conveniently located across the Potomac from Washington, DC with easy access to the Metro's Orange Line (Virginia Square Station). http://law.gmu.edu

REGISTRATION AND TUITION: Please apply for this Workshop on the LEC website here: http://www.masonlec.org/events/2012-workshop-on-empirical-and-experimental-methods-for-law-professors

TUITION: Tuition for the Workshop on Empirical Methods is $1000 for the first professor from a law school and $600 for additional registrants from the same school. Tuition includes all session materials, access to statistical software (STATA), four lunches, five continental breakfasts, two evening receptions, and one group dinner. You will need a laptop for this workshop. A check for $1000 made payable to George Mason University Foundation (please note on the check that it is for "Empirical Workshop Tuition") must be included with the registration form. Registration and payment should be received by May 1, 2012. Space is limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-accepted basis.

CANCELLATION POLICY: Full refunds for cancellation of attendance to the Workshop on Empirical Methods will be made for all written cancellations received before 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 14th. No refunds will be given for any cancellations received after Monday, May 14th.

ACCOMMODATIONS: There are numerous hotels nearby GMU School of Law in Arlington, VA. Some of these include:

Hotel Palomar Rosslyn, 1121 18th Street North - http://www.hotelpalomar-arlington.com

Clarion Collection Hotel Arlington Court Suites, 1200 North Courthouse Road - http://www.clarionhotel.com/hotel-arlington-virginia-VA058

Residence Inn Arlington Courthouse, 1401 North Adams Street - http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/wasca-residence-inn-arlington-courthouse

Comfort Inn Ballston, 1211 North Glebe Road - http://www.comfortinn.com/hotel-arlington-virginia-VA417

AKA Virginia Square, 3409 Wilson Boulevard - http://www.stayaka.com/locations/virginia_square

Hilton Garden Inn Arlington Courthouse Plaza, 1333 North Courthouse Road - http://www.hiltongardeninn.com/en/gi/hotels/accommodations.jhtml?ctyhocn=DCAARGI

Hilton Arlington, 950 North Stafford Street - http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/DCAVAHF-Hilton-Arlington-Virginia/index.do

Holiday Inn Ballston, 4610 North Fairfax Drive - http://www.hiarlington.com

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE LEC, PLEASE VISIT: http://www.masonLEC.org

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Please apply for this Workshop here: http://www.masonlec.org/events/2012-workshop-on-empirical-and-experimental-methods-for-law-professors

The Law & Economics Center has a long tradition of providing training to law professors. The famous Economics Institute for Law Professors always included at least two days of lecture on econometrics.

CONTACT INFORMATION:Law & Economics Center Contact: Jeff Smith 703-993-8382, jsmithQ@gmu.edu