The Archives

The collection of all scholarly commentary on law, economics, and more

Showing results for:  “digital markets act”

The EU tightens the noose around Google

Here we go again.  The European Commission is after Google more formally than a few months ago (but not yet having issued a Statement of Objections). For background on the single-firm antitrust issues surrounding Google I modestly recommend my paper with Josh, Google and the Limits of Antitrust: The Case Against the Antitrust Case Against ... The EU tightens the noose around Google

Foreclosure-gate and the injustice of lawyer regulation

I’ve written how the collapse of the mortgage boom has put unprecedented stress on our legal system.  Mortgages were securitized on a massive scale, but then had to be enforced at the micro level. While the finance industry was mutating rapidly, the law has remained a cottage industry, with individual lawyers representing individual clients in ... Foreclosure-gate and the injustice of lawyer regulation

More on EchoStar’s questionable litigation tactics

The day before yesterday I posted on the fascinating and important TiVo v. EchoStar case.  Today I wanted to follow up with some, let’s say, color commentary on EchoStar’s litigation tactics.  This isn’t dispositive, of course, but it does seem to add some insight into the notion that EchoStar is taking advantage of questionable litigation ... More on EchoStar’s questionable litigation tactics

Congratulations to the GMU Law and Economic Center’s Samantha Zyontz: Samsung-Stanford Patent Prize Competition Winner

Congratulations to Samantha Zyontz, a Senior Research Associate at the Searle Civil Justice Institute here at George Mason.   Samantha and two co-authors, Michael Mazzeo (Kellogg) and Jonathan Hillel (Northwestern), are one of several recipients of the Inaugural Samsung-Stanford Patent Prize for their paper Are Patent Infringement Awards Excessive?: The Data Behind the Patent Reform Debate.  ... Congratulations to the GMU Law and Economic Center’s Samantha Zyontz: Samsung-Stanford Patent Prize Competition Winner

The SEC’s crackdown on efficient markets

Holman Jenkins has some thoughts on what he calls the insanity of the rumored government initiative against insider trading: Society is served * * * when investors and management get the best possible feedback on what products and services and business models are most demanded by the public. The SEC has a different view. * ... The SEC’s crackdown on efficient markets

TiVo v. EchoStar: A study in abusing the courts instead of just respecting the patent

On November 9, the en banc US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit heard oral arguments in an extremely important patent infringement case (mp3 of oral argument here). Hanging in the balance are the very incentives for technological innovation and the seeds of economic progress. The arguments made in the case by the infringer, ... TiVo v. EchoStar: A study in abusing the courts instead of just respecting the patent

What’s An Internet Monopolist? A Reply to Professor Wu

We’ve been reading with interest a bit of an blog squabble between Tim Wu and Adam Thierer ( see here and here) set off by Professor Wu’s WSJ column: “In the Grip of the New Monopolists.”  Wu’s column makes some remarkable claims, and, like Adam, we find it extremely troubling. Wu starts off with some ... What’s An Internet Monopolist? A Reply to Professor Wu

Investor-Protective Analysis or Illegal Insider Trading?

One problem with a group blog is that you don’t always know what your co-bloggers are writing while you’re drafting a post.  I drafted the following post without realizing that Larry (and Steve Bainbridge) had already gone to town on the matter — in more detail than I, not surprisingly.  In any event, I’m posting ... Investor-Protective Analysis or Illegal Insider Trading?

Insider trading: Bainbridge responds

Yesterday in criticizing a federal crackdown on insider trading I noted that “[a]ll of this theater can’t hide the dubious public policy underlying these prosecutions.  Insider trading is, at worst, a breach of fiduciary duty which, like other such breaches, can be dealt with under state law.” Steve Bainbridge, an expert on insider trading, responds: I ... Insider trading: Bainbridge responds

Free to Choose? A Symposium on Behavioral Law and Economics

Mark your calendars!  Truth on the Market will be holding a two day symposium on behavioral law and economics and its implications on December 6th and 7th.  We’ve got a great lineup of participants confirmed — and several invitations pending.  We’ll have more announcements as we get closer to the date.    Stay tuned. Free ... Free to Choose? A Symposium on Behavioral Law and Economics

The return of Rudy G

The WSJ has breathlessly reported: Federal authorities, capping a three-year investigation, are preparing insider-trading charges that could ensnare consultants, investment bankers, hedge-fund and mutual-fund traders, and analysts across the nation, according to people familiar with the matter. The criminal and civil probes, which authorities say could eclipse the impact on the financial industry of any ... The return of Rudy G

The SEC slams venture capital

Dodd-Frank imposed registration requirements on advisors of hedge funds.  The act exempted venture capital funds but left it to the SEC to define these funds.  The SEC has now proposed a definition as part of new rules implementing Dodd-Frank’s hedge fund provisions.  According to the SEC’s press release,  a venture capital fund is a private ... The SEC slams venture capital