Law Commons^™

Gandhi’S Prophecy: Corporate Violence And A Mindful Law For Bhopal, Nehal A. Patel

Nehal A. Patel

AbstractOver thirty years have passed since the Bhopal chemical disaster began,and in that time scholars of corporate social responsibility (CSR) havediscussed and debated several frameworks for improving corporate responseto social and environmental problems. However, CSR discourse rarelydelves into the fundamental architecture of legal thought that oftenbuttresses corporate dominance in the global economy. Moreover, CSRdiscourse does little to challenge the ontological and epistemologicalassumptions that form the foundation for modern economics and the role ofcorporations in the world.I explore methods of transforming CSR by employing the thought ofMohandas Gandhi. I pay particular attention to Gandhi’s critique ofindustrialization and principle of swadeshi (self-sufficiency) …

Gandhi’S Nightmare: Bhopal And The Need For A Mindful Jurisprudence, Nehal A. Patel

Nehal A. Patel

No abstract provided.

How To Sufficiently Consider Efficiency, Competition, And Capital Formation In The Wake Of Business Roundtable, Ian D. Ghrist

Ian D. Ghrist

This article applies ideas from the Law and Economics movement to the D.C. Circuit's 2011 decision in Business Roundtable v. Securities and Exchange Commission. The article lays out a framework for cost-benefit analysis that, if followed, should increase new rules' chances of surviving the heightened arbitrary and capricious review standard imposed by the National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996.

The Dodd-Frank Act comprises the broadest financial reforms since the 1930s. The Act, however, makes surprisingly few important decisions and instead, almost exclusively defers to agency rulemaking or the creation of a new organization. The Act mandates the promulgation of …

The Romantic Corporation: Trademark, Trust, And Tyranny, Malla Pollack

Malla Pollack

Humans in the United States, and many other market-centric nations, live in a world extensively populated by friendly, helpful, honest, charitable, patriotic beings worthy of our respect and support – none of whom exist. Yet these fellow-beings speak to us humans so often that they must be part of our ingrained perception of the world. Who are they? They are the marketing personas created by totally self-interested businesses. They harm humans not only by misdirection in specific instances, but by providing cover for our government’s improper prioritization of corporate interests over human interests. This systemic distortion of public perception is …

A Contractarian Critique Of Citizens United, Joseph F. Morrissey

Joseph F. Morrissey

Abstract

In Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, a 5–4 majority overturned a congressional enactment limiting corporate electioneering. Decided in 2010, the Citizens United opinion has already been harshly criticized by a broad spectrum of people, ranging from President Obama to Ben & Jerry. A group of senators has even called for a constitutional amendment to undo the results of that decision.

In this article, I criticize the majority opinion in Citizens United for ignoring the prevailing contractarian view of a corporation. In so doing, the majority arrived at the false conclusion that corporations should be entitled to the constitutional …

The Corporate Gatekeeper In Ethical Perspective, Christopher T. Hines

Christopher T Hines

The fallout from the financial crisis continues to inform the development of corporate and securities law, and the new regulatory landscape for economic activity within the United States is beginning to take form. This evolutionary process, however, has been anything but stable or certain. As might be expected, in concert with such momentous change in law and policy, recriminations for and associated investigations of past activity continue to affect competent regulators as well as market participants. Nevertheless, while many of the underlying causes of the financial crisis are now better understood by both policy makers and scholars, the question remains—given …

Returning To First Principles Of Privilege Law: Focusing On The Facts In Internal Corporate Investigations, Christopher T. Hines

Christopher T Hines

In the aftermath of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, it is necessary and appropriate to ask some fundamental questions on the economic laws and regulations that, for better or worse, played a contributing role in the recent financial crisis. Although the ongoing financial reform efforts have already resulted in significant changes in applicable laws, a further discussion regarding the principles and practices that existed within the enforcement of law is worthy of consideration. Specifically stated, are there any improvements that can be made to the current federal securities enforcement regime that would work to the benefit of …

Form And Substance Of The Doctrine Of Piercing Of Corporate Veil, Thomas K. Cheng

Thomas K. Cheng

This Article proposes a reformulation of the doctrine of piercing of corporate veil based on the rationale of prevention of shareholder unjust enrichment. Applying the formal and substantive dichotomies propounded in Professor Duncan Kennedy’s seminal article “Form and Substance of Private Law Adjudication,” it examines the formal and substantive relationships of the doctrine and the related rule of limited liability. It affirms that the doctrine is of an altruistic nature, which provides a basis for launching an inquiry into its principal objective. An examination of the effects of corporate veil liability and its interaction with the underlying contractual and tortious …

Green With Envy? Greenmail Is Good! Rational Economic Responses To Greenmail In A Competitive Market For Capital And Managers, Eric A. Engle

Eric A. Engle

Greenmail denotes the decision by a corporation's board of directors to repurchase its shares that are held by a corporate raider, often at a significant premium, thereby keeping the board of directors in office. It may represent a conflict of interest between the corporation's shareholders and the board of directors. While greenmail is legal, 50% of greenmail gains are subject to taxation. This Article argues that greenmail has a healthy role in a competitive market economy.

What Is The Sound Of A Corporation Speaking? How The Cognitive Theory Of Metaphor Can Help Lawyers Shape The Law, Linda L. Berger

Linda L. Berger

No abstract provided.