More. . .

Institute Menu

International Junior Scholars Forum in Law & Social Science

The Coase-Sandor Institute for Law and Economics at the University of Chicago and the Center for Law & Economics at ETH Zurich will host the 2026 International Junior Scholars Forum in Law and Social Science at the University of Chicago Law School on May 18-19, 2026 (following the 2026 ALEA conference). The goal of the Forum is to promote in-depth discussion of scholarship using social science methods to study legal issues, to build bridges between junior and senior scholars, and to foster an international community of legal scholars whose research uses social science methods. 

At the Forum, about eight junior scholars from around the world present their work and receive in-depth feedback from a group of senior scholars from leading institutions around the world. The Forum is organized by Omri Ben-Shahar & William Hubbard (University of Chicago) and Elliott Ash, Stefan Bechtold & Alexander Stremitzer (ETH Zurich). It has been organized by the University Chicago and ETH Zurich since 2020.

Conference Agenda

  • Monday, May 18 2026
    • Coffee/Welcome
      • -
    • Session 1, Johannes Kruse, “Agentic AI Simulation as a Legal Research Tool"
      • -
    • Session 2, Janka Deli “Breaking Rules, Building Trade? Rule of Law Decline and Export Growth in the European Union"
      • -
    • Break
      • -
    • Session 3, Yali Peng, “The Enforcement Bubble: Occupational Isolation and the Limits of Expressive Law in China’s Anti-Corruption System”
      • -
    • Workshop Lunch with Chicago Faculty
      • -

      • Keynote speaker: Netta Barak-Corren

    • Session 4, Nikita Aggarwal, “Lobbying for Data: The Political Economy of Open Banking Regulation"
      • -
    • Session 5, Ori Katz, “Law, Justice, and Artificial Intelligence"
      • -
  • Tuesday, May 19 2026
    • Coffee
      • -
    • Session 6, Michal Soltes, “Role of Expertise in Consistency in Decision-Making: Experimental Evidence with Public Prosecutors and Law Students"
      • -
    • Session 7, Edoardo Martino, “Cryptomercantilism vs. Monetary Sovereignty – How Stablecoin Laws Shape the Battle for International Monetary Supremacy”
      • -
    • Break
      • -
    • Session 8, Dhruv Aggarwal, “Corporate Criminal Liability and Firm Value”
      • -
    • Workshop Lunch with Chicago Faculty
      • -

      • Keynote speaker: Zhuang Liu