Eric A. Posner
Kirkland and Ellis Distinguished Service Professor of Law
Eric Posner is the Kirkland and Ellis Distinguished Service Professor of Law at the University of Chicago Law School, where he has taught since 1998. He is one of the most cited legal scholars in the United States and has authored more than a dozen books across contract law, international law, constitutional law, and financial regulation. He served as Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice in 2022-2023. His book Radical Markets, co-authored with Glen Weyl, was named a book of the year by The Economist.
Teaching Style
Professor Posner is a prolific and analytically demanding teacher who brings a strong law-and-economics perspective to every subject he covers. He uses the Socratic method with a focus on efficiency arguments and cost-benefit analysis, expecting students to evaluate legal rules as instruments for maximizing social welfare. He cold-calls regularly and can be brisk in his questioning, pushing students to move beyond intuitions to rigorous economic reasoning.
Cold Call Tips
- 1Brush up on basic economic concepts like Pareto efficiency, Coase theorem, and externalities — Posner applies these frameworks constantly
- 2Be ready to evaluate legal rules by their consequences rather than by their internal logic or moral appeal
- 3Read his recent publications to understand his current thinking on the topics covered in class
- 4Do not be intimidated by the pace — have a clear, concise answer ready and be prepared to revise it under questioning
Areas of Expertise
Education
- J.D., Harvard Law School
- B.A., Yale University
Notable Publications
- Radical Markets: Uprooting Capitalism and Democracy for a Just Society (2018, with Glen Weyl)
- Last Resort: The Financial Crisis and the Future of Bailouts (2018)
- The Twilight of Human Rights Law (2014)
Research Interests
More Professors at University of Chicago Law School
Constitutional Law, Federal Courts, Election Law, Conflict of Laws
Constitutional Law, Criminal Procedure, National Security Law
Contracts, Consumer Law, Insurance Law, Law and Economics
Administrative Law, Regulatory Policy, Constitutional Law
Antitrust Law, Intellectual Property, Network Industries, Bankruptcy
Property Law, Privacy Law, Intellectual Property, Law and Technology