This course will introduce the basic concepts of law and economics. Economics has become an increasingly influential lens with which to view the law and it has become an important tool to understand the effect that legal rules have on people's behavior. We will focus on applications of economics to the areas of tort, property and contract, but will also explore the way economics can be used to understand the workings of the legal system itself. The course will not assume any prior familiarity with economics; all the relevant concepts and techniques will be developed in class.
