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Laurie Silvers & Mitchell Rubenstein Distinguished Professor of Law

froomkin-pix2University of Miami School of Law, Rm. G-382
+1 (305) 284-4285
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Founding & Editing


Fellow & Advisor


Teaching

The University of Miami is not actually in Miami, but in nearby Coral Gables.   Here is the City Beautiful’s homepage and a map of our neighborhood and a close-up. Visit our webcams and see our weather.

Fall 2016

  • Torts Section A (4 cr.) T/Th/F Rm. F 309

    Course Description
    Torts is a basic introductory course required for all first year students. In this section we will concentrate on learning common law reasoning, but there will also be some thought given to economic and policy issues that animate, or are said to animate, tort law in particular and the common law in general. We will also try to have some fun now and then.

  • Robot Law (1 cr.) Short course – 1 week – Sept 19-24: M,T,W,Th 12:30-2; F 2-5; Sat 10-1, Room F408

    Course Description
    This short course will introduce students to legal, ethical, and policy issues arising from the introduction of a disruptive technology: robots–ranging from autonomous cars, to drones, to medical robots, to battlefield robots. Issues include complex questions of liability, privacy, and design. For example, should we allow true robot autonomy, or require a ‘human in the decision loop’? If we require a human what should her role be (e.g. approval required, or veto capability), and what are the liability and practical consequences? If medical robots will someday be better diagnosticians than people, will it be malpractice not to use a robot diagnostician? And if so, what does that do to doctors?

    Grading will be on the basis of class participation, and a short paper due some time after the week concludes.

  • Administrative Law (4 cr.) (LAW 200) Mon, Tue & Thur, 3:30-5:20, Room TBA

    CANCELLED:

    Course Description

    Administrative law is the introduction to how federal agencies make regulatory decisions – both rulemaking and adjudication – and how you sue the government if you think they got it wrong. Federal agencies adjudicate more cases every year than all state and federal courts combined. The federal code of regulations is much longer than the codification of federal statutes.

    Complications arise from what are often broad or ambiguous delegations of authority from Congress. There are issues about how and when agency decisions are subject to judicial review. And always lurking is the question of how we reconcile our dependence on an unelected, expert bureaucracy with our commitments to government that is democratically accountable and legitimate.

    Administrative Law is vitally important for anyone contemplating a practice that might involve federal regulations in any way which, if you think about it, is almost everything. A 2011 survey of GW law school alumni put Administrative Law as one of the top three most useful courses I took in law school, and #2 on the list of ‘courses I wish I had taken in law school’.

    Grading will be based on class participation and a an 8-hour take-home final exam.

Spring 2017
I will be on research leave in Spring 2017.

Contact me if you wish me to supervise a paper. I will gladly see you by appointment.

Past Teaching
  • Law & Games Seminar (MMPORGs, not “gaming”)
  • Intellectual Property in the Digital Era Seminar
  • Internet Governance Seminar

I have some  unofficial advice about course selection in law school and some idiosyncratic writing tips. I’ve also got a half-written FAQ for people thinking about law school.


Publications

 

Privacy & Cryptography E-Commerce Other
Internet Governance & Governance
Generally
Administrative Law Discourse.net

Privacy & Cryptography

Internet Governance & Governance Generally

E-Commerce

Administrative Law

Blogging, Online Games, and Other Fun Stuff


Miscellany



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