The Workshop on Empirical and Experimental 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.
WORKSHOP FACULTY:
David Abrams, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania School of Law, http://www.law.upenn.edu/cf/faculty/dabrams/
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
Kevin McCabe, Ph.D., George Mason University School of Economics and Law, http://www.law.gmu.edu/faculty/directory/fulltime/mccabe_kevin
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 take place at:
George Mason University School of Law
3301 N. Fairfax Drive
Arlington, VA 22201
http://law.gmu.edu
The Workshop will begin on Monday May 23, at 8:30 a.m. and conclude on Thursday May 26, at 12 pm. Classes on May 23, 24 and 25 will run from 8:30 am to 5pm, and include lectures, group sessions, and opportunities for participants to present their own empirical projects or “works in progress.”
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
REGISTRATION AND TUITION:
Tuition for the Workshop on Empirical and Experimental Methods is $850 for the first professor from a law school and $500 for additional registrants from the same school.
Tuition includes all session materials, access to statistical software (STATA), three lunches, four continental breakfasts, and one evening reception. You will need a laptop for this workshop. A check for $850 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 13, 2011. 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 and Experimental Methods will be made for all written cancellations received before 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 16th. No refunds will be given for any cancellations received after Monday, May 16th.
ACCOMMODATIONS:
GMU School of Law is conveniently located across the Potomac from Washington, DC with easy access to the Metro’s Orange Line (Virginia Square Station).
Special hotel rates for workshop participants are available at two hotels within walking distance of the GMU School of Law: the Comfort Inn Ballston, (1211 N. Glebe Rd) at a group rate of $149 per night, and the AKA Virginia Square (3409 Wilson Blvd) at a group rate of $211 per night.
To make a reservation at the Comfort Inn call (703) 247-3399. The hotel’s website can be viewed at:
http://www.comfortinn.com/hotel-arlington-virginia-VA417
To make a reservation at the AKA Virginia Square contact Scott Foster at (202) 904-2505, or by email at sfoster@stayaka.com. The hotel’s website can be viewed at: http://www.hotelaka.com/locations/virginia_square/default.aspx
To obtain the workshop rates, please mention the George Mason School of Law Workshop on Empirical and Experimental Methods. In order to receive these special rates you must book your room by April 23, 2011. There are limited rooms available so please make your reservations as soon as possible.
LEC CONTACT:
Jeff Smith
703-993-8101
jsmithQ@gmu.edu