The Journal of Legal Analysis is publishing its most recent edition, Volume 2 Issue 1, online.
The broad-focused, faculty-edited journal was launched by Harvard Law School Professors J. Mark Ramseyer ’82 and Steven Shavell, in February 2009 with an open access format to provide first-rate scholarship to the widest possible audience. Created in partnership with Harvard University Press and the John M. Olin Center for Law, Economics, and Business, the publication is available free online.
The journal is designed to provide the best legal scholarship from all disciplinary perspectives and styles, covering the span of the legal academy. The Spring 2010 edition, Volume 2 Issue 1, includes “Why the Google Books Settlement is Procompetitive” by Einer Elhauge ’86.
Elhauge’s article now appears online. It will be followed in the coming weeks by submissions as diverse as: “The Dispensable Lives of Soldiers” by Gabriella Blum LL.M. ’01 S.J.D. ’03; “Should Copyright Of Academic Works Be Abolished?” by Steven Shavell; and “Did a Switch in Time Save Nine?” by Daniel E. Ho and Kevin M. Quinn.
Other articles in this edition are: “Excuse Doctrine: The Eisenberg Uncertainty Principle” by Victor Goldberg; “International Soft Law” by Andrew T. Guzman ’96 and Timothy L. Meyer; “The Easy Core Case for Judical Review” by Alon Harel and Tsvi Kahana; “Ambiguity About Ambiguity” by Ward Farnsworth, Dustin F. Guzior, and Anup Malani; and “Impossibility, Impracticability, and Frustration—Professor Goldberg Constructs an imaginary article, attributes it to me, and then critiques it” by Melvin A. Eisenberg ’59.
In addition to Shavell, who is director of the Olin Center at HLS, the co-editors are Richard Craswell of Stanford Law School; Mathew McCubbins of the University of California at San Diego; and Daniel Rubinfeld of the University of California, Berkeley. Scholars from various fields have signed on to be members of the 20-member editorial board, including HLS Professors Louis Kaplow ’81, Kathryn Spier, Cass Sunstein ’78 and Adrian Vermeule ’93.
All JLA articles are free on the web and will be posted on the journal’s website as soon as they are ready for publication. Issues are available for purchase as bound volumes for a modest price.
The journal marks Harvard University Press’s first foray into online, Open Access publishing. It is also the first new journal HUP has published in 30 years. In the 1970s, HUP ceased publishing academic journals, deciding that journal publishing no longer fit in with its overall strategy.
Major funding for the journal is provided by Terence Considine ’71 and the Considine Family Foundation. The John M. Olin Center for Law, Economics, and Business, Harvard Law School and Harvard University Press are also contributing in various ways.
Ramseyer is the Mitsubishi Professor of Japanese Legal Studies. A leading scholar on Japanese law, he is the author of several books, including “The Fable of the Keiretsu: Urban Legends of the Japanese Economy” and “Odd Markets in Japanese History: Law and Economic Approach.”
Shavell is the Samuel R. Rosenthal Professor of Law and Economics and director of the Olin Center. He is the author of “Foundations of Economic Analysis of Law” and “Economic Analysis of Accident Law.”