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Full-Text Articles in Law

Employee Say-On-Pay: Monitoring And Legitimizing Executive Compensation, Robert J. Rhee Sep 2015

Employee Say-On-Pay: Monitoring And Legitimizing Executive Compensation, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

This Article proposes the adoption of employee say-on-pay in corporate governance. The board would benefit from an advisory vote of employees on executive compensation. This proposal is based on two considerations: firstly, the benefits of better monitoring and reduced agency cost in corporate governance; secondly, the link between executive compensation and income inequity and wealth disparity in the broader economy. If adopted, shareholders and employees would monitor executive performance and pay at different levels. Shareholders through the market mechanism can only monitor at the level of public disclosures and share price. Employees can leverage private information. Non-executive managers in particular …


The Tort Foundation Of Duty Of Care And Business Judgment, Robert Rhee Sep 2015

The Tort Foundation Of Duty Of Care And Business Judgment, Robert Rhee

Robert Rhee

This Article corrects a misconception in corporation law – the belief that principles of tort law do not apply to the liability scheme of fiduciary duty. A board’s duty of care implies exposure to liability, but the business judgment rule precludes it. Tort law finds fault; corporation law excuses it. The conventional wisdom says that the tort analogy fails. This dismissal of tort prinicples is wrong. Although shareholder derivative suits and ordinary tort cases properly yield systemically antipodal outcomes, they are bound by a common analytical framework. The principles of board liability are rooted in tort doctrines governing duty, customs, …


A Price Theory Of Legal Bargaining: An Inquiry Into The Selection Of Settlement And Litigation Under Uncertainty, Robert J. Rhee Sep 2015

A Price Theory Of Legal Bargaining: An Inquiry Into The Selection Of Settlement And Litigation Under Uncertainty, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

Conventional wisdom says that economic surplus is created when the cost of litigation is foregone in favor of settlement, a theory flowing from the Coase Theorem. The cost-benefit analysis weighs settlement against the expected value of litigation net of transaction cost. This calculus yields the normative proposition that settlement is a superior form of dispute resolution and so most trials are considered errors. While simple in concept, the prevailing economic model is flawed. This article is a theoretical inquiry into the selection criteria of settlement and trial. It applies principles of financial economics to construct a pricing theory of legal …


Loss Of Chance, Probabilistic Cause, And Damage Calculations: The Error In Matsuyama V. Birnbaum And The Majority Rule Of Damages In Many Jurisdictions More Generally, Robert J. Rhee Sep 2015

Loss Of Chance, Probabilistic Cause, And Damage Calculations: The Error In Matsuyama V. Birnbaum And The Majority Rule Of Damages In Many Jurisdictions More Generally, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

This short commentary corrects an erroneous understanding of probabilistic causation in the loss-of-chance doctrine and the damage calculation method adopted in Matsuyama v. Birnbaum. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts is not alone. Many other common law courts have made the same error, including Indiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, and Oklahoma. The consistency in the mistake suggests that the error is the majority rule of damages. I demonstrate here that this majority rule is based on erroneous mathematical reasoning and the fallacy of probabilistic logic.


The Socratic Method And The Mathematical Heuristic Of George Pólya, Robert J. Rhee Sep 2015

The Socratic Method And The Mathematical Heuristic Of George Pólya, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

A number of commentators have observed the decline of the Socratic method. This is unfortunate as the Socratic method can be an effective teaching tool. But this article recognizes that the Socratic method can be monochromatic. This article argues that the Socratic method should not be conceived simply as a method to teach analytic skills. Rather, once learned, it can be a concrete analytic tool for the students to use without the help of professors. In other words, it is an end to itself rather than a means. To do this, we can adopt George Polya's heuristic for teaching mathematical …


Catastrophic Risk And Governance After Hurricane Katrina: A Postscript To Terrorism Risk In A Post-9/11 Economy, Robert J. Rhee Sep 2015

Catastrophic Risk And Governance After Hurricane Katrina: A Postscript To Terrorism Risk In A Post-9/11 Economy, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

This essay inquires into the political economy and system of governance that have made catastrophes more frequent and severe. The system of governance that is designed to mitigate risk and respond to catastrophes can be ineffective, or worse, increase the risk of harm through unintended consequences. Human influence must be considered a source of collateral risk, the kind that leads to a systemic crisis or exacerbates one. This essay concludes with some brief proposals, discussion topics more than completed ideas, which may facilitate further academic and political dialogue on effective governance and public risk management. They include a catastrophe tax, …


Specialization In Law And Business: A Proposal For A J.D./'Mbl' Curriculum, Robert J. Rhee Sep 2015

Specialization In Law And Business: A Proposal For A J.D./'Mbl' Curriculum, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

This paper provides the specific details of how an interdisciplinary program of law and business can be structured in a three-year J.D. program. The program envisioned is a J.D./”M.B.L.”, which is distinguished from the better known J.D./M.B.A. The “M.B.L.” stands for “masters of business law,” which is simply an idea tag. The moniker can represent a program conferring a supplemental degree in law and business, or simply a specialized course of study to complete a J.D. Either way, the program is an interdisciplinary program of concentrated study in core transaction-oriented law courses and core business courses. The most effective education …


Bond Limited Liability, Robert J. Rhee Sep 2015

Bond Limited Liability, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

Limited liability is considered a “birthright” of corporations. The concept is entrenched in legal theory, and it is a fixed reality of the political economy. But it remains controversial. Scholarly debate has been engaged in absolute terms of defending the rule or advocating its abrogation. Though compelling, these polar positions, often expressed in abstract arguments, are associated with disquieting effects. Without limited liability, efficiency may be severely compromised. With it, involuntary tort creditors bear some of the cost of an enterprise. Most other proposals for reforming limited liability have been incremental, such as modifying veil piercing. However, neither absolutism nor …


Ethical Issues In Business And The Lawyer's Role, Robert Rhee, Carol Morgan, Tamar Frankel, Mark Fagan Sep 2015

Ethical Issues In Business And The Lawyer's Role, Robert Rhee, Carol Morgan, Tamar Frankel, Mark Fagan

Robert Rhee

The remarks by Professor Rhee "The Stand Alone Course Approach to Teaching Business Ethics," Professor Morgan "Teaching Business Ethics in Transactional Skills Courses: An Integrated Approach," and Professors Tamar Frankel and Mark Fagan "Teaching Business Ethics: A Collaborative Approach" were made at the conference on "Transactional Education: What's Next?" held at Emory University School of Law, June 4, 2010.


Employee Say-On-Pay: Monitoring And Legitimizing Executive Compensation, Robert J. Rhee Feb 2015

Employee Say-On-Pay: Monitoring And Legitimizing Executive Compensation, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

This Article proposes the adoption of employee say-on-pay in corporate governance. The board would benefit from an advisory vote of employees on executive compensation. This proposal is based on two considerations: firstly, the benefits of better monitoring and reduced agency cost in corporate governance; secondly, the link between executive compensation and income inequity and wealth disparity in the broader economy. If adopted, shareholders and employees would monitor executive performance and pay at different levels. Shareholders through the market mechanism can only monitor at the level of public disclosures and share price. Employees can leverage private information. Non-executive managers in particular …


Incentivizing Credit Rating Agencies Under The Issuer Pay Model Through A Mandatory Compensation Competition, Robert J. Rhee May 2014

Incentivizing Credit Rating Agencies Under The Issuer Pay Model Through A Mandatory Compensation Competition, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

Credit rating agencies are important institutions of the global capital markets. If they had performed properly, the financial crisis of 2008-2009 would not have occurred. This article offers the simplest fix proposed thus far, and it is contrarian. This Article accepts the central role of rating agencies in the regulation of bond investments, the realities of a duopoly, and the issuer-pay model of compensation. The status quo is the baseline. The role of regulation should be to create the conditions necessary to induce competition. This article proposes that a small, recurring portion of revenue earned by the largest rating agencies …


Teaching Llcs Through A Problem-Based Approach, Michelle M. Harner, Robert J. Rhee Apr 2014

Teaching Llcs Through A Problem-Based Approach, Michelle M. Harner, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

Case studies and case simulations can be used to teach LLCs with an eye toward training business lawyers. These tools can be used in the traditional four-credit Business Associations (BA) course to supplement traditional teaching materials with mini-case studies that accent and apply analysis of primary legal sources. Alternatively, case studies and case simulations can be the centerpiece of a specialized course on LLCs. We discuss both approaches in this short essay.


Deal Deconstructions, Case Studies, And Case Simulations: Toward Practice Readiness With New Pedagogies In Teaching Business And Transactional Law, Michelle M. Harner, Robert J. Rhee Apr 2014

Deal Deconstructions, Case Studies, And Case Simulations: Toward Practice Readiness With New Pedagogies In Teaching Business And Transactional Law, Michelle M. Harner, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

In this short commentary, we explore the use of two interrelated pedagogical methods for teaching transactional and business law. The first method is deal deconstruction, which analyzes the set of final deal documents and outcomes. This method is backward-looking, conducting a post-mortem on business transactions and analyzing the parties’ choices memorialized in the agreement against the legal and financial alternatives. The second method involves case studies and simulations, which are commonly seen in business schools. This method is forward-looking, exposing students to the uncertainties and situational contexts of doing deals and deal-related litigation. Together, these complementary methods help students understand …


Transcription Of 2013 Chapman Law Review Symposium: "The Future Of Law, Business, And Legal Education: How To Prepare Students To Meet Corporate Needs", Leo E. Strine Jr., Bradley Borden, Robert J. Rhee, Tania King, Lee Cheng Nov 2013

Transcription Of 2013 Chapman Law Review Symposium: "The Future Of Law, Business, And Legal Education: How To Prepare Students To Meet Corporate Needs", Leo E. Strine Jr., Bradley Borden, Robert J. Rhee, Tania King, Lee Cheng

Robert Rhee

No abstract provided.


Tackling "Arithmophobia": Teaching How To Read, Understand, And Analyze Financial Statements, Paula J. Williams, Kris Anne Tobin, Eric Franklin, Robert J. Rhee Oct 2013

Tackling "Arithmophobia": Teaching How To Read, Understand, And Analyze Financial Statements, Paula J. Williams, Kris Anne Tobin, Eric Franklin, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

This discussion presents different ideas on how to teach accounting and practical finance to law students.


Foreword, Robert J. Rhee Oct 2013

Foreword, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

No abstract provided.


The Terrorism Risk Insurance Act: Time To End The Corporate Welfare, Robert J. Rhee Oct 2013

The Terrorism Risk Insurance Act: Time To End The Corporate Welfare, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, inflicted enormous losses on the insurance industry and businesses. In the wake of the disruptions occurring in the insurance market at the time, the government enacted the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002 to create a “temporary” federal backstop against catastrophic losses. This program subsidized private risk with public funds through a cost-sharing program for which the government does not receive any compensation. The compelling need for the program was unclear even in the smoldering aftermath of 9/11. Yet in response to effective lobbying by the insurance industry and business interests, Congress has …


The Tort Foundation Of Duty Of Care And Business Judgment, Robert J. Rhee May 2013

The Tort Foundation Of Duty Of Care And Business Judgment, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

This Article corrects a misconception in corporation law – the belief that principles of tort law do not apply to the liability scheme of fiduciary duty. A board’s duty of care implies exposure to liability, but the business judgment rule precludes it. Tort law finds fault; corporation law excuses it. The conventional wisdom says that the tort analogy fails. This dismissal of tort prinicples is wrong. Although shareholder derivative suits and ordinary tort cases properly yield systemically antipodal outcomes, they are bound by a common analytical framework. The principles of board liability are rooted in tort doctrines governing duty, customs, …


Loss Of Chance, Probabilistic Cause, And Damage Calculations: The Error In Matsuyama V. Birnbaum And The Majority Rule Of Damages In Many Jurisdictions More Generally, Robert J. Rhee Apr 2013

Loss Of Chance, Probabilistic Cause, And Damage Calculations: The Error In Matsuyama V. Birnbaum And The Majority Rule Of Damages In Many Jurisdictions More Generally, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

This short commentary corrects an erroneous understanding of probabilistic causation in the loss-of-chance doctrine and the damage calculation method adopted in Matsuyama v. Birnbaum. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts is not alone. Many other common law courts have made the same error, including Indiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, and Oklahoma. The consistency in the mistake suggests that the error is the majority rule of damages. I demonstrate here that this majority rule is based on erroneous mathematical reasoning and the fallacy of probabilistic logic.


Reflections On Team Production In Professional Schools And The Workplace, Robert J. Rhee Feb 2013

Reflections On Team Production In Professional Schools And The Workplace, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

No abstract provided.


Specialization In Law And Business: A Proposal For A J.D./"Mbl" Curriculum, Robert J. Rhee Jan 2013

Specialization In Law And Business: A Proposal For A J.D./"Mbl" Curriculum, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

This paper provides the specific details of how an interdisciplinary program of law and business can be structured in a three-year J.D. program. The program envisioned is a J.D./”M.B.L.”, which is distinguished from the better known J.D./M.B.A. The “M.B.L.” stands for “masters of business law,” which is simply an idea tag. The moniker can represent a program conferring a supplemental degree in law and business, or simply a specialized course of study to complete a J.D. Either way, the program is an interdisciplinary program of concentrated study in core transaction-oriented law courses and core business courses. The most effective education …


On Duopoly And Compensation Games In The Credit Rating Industry, Robert J. Rhee Oct 2012

On Duopoly And Compensation Games In The Credit Rating Industry, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

Credit rating agencies are important institutions of the global capital markets. If they had performed properly, the financial crisis of 2008–2009 would not have occurred, and the course of world history would have been different. There is a near universal consensus that reform is needed, but none as to the best approach. The problem has not been solved. This Article offers the simplest fix proposed thus far, and it is contrarian. Unlike other reform proposals, this Article accepts the central role of rating agencies in the regulation of bond investments, the realities of a duopoly, and the issuer-pay model of …


Essential Concepts Of Business For Lawyers, Robert Rhee Jun 2012

Essential Concepts Of Business For Lawyers, Robert Rhee

Robert Rhee

Accounting and finance cannot be taught through the dense text and format typical of legal casebooks. Mirroring textbooks used at business schools with significant quantities of visuals, Essential Concepts of Business for Lawyers uses many graphical elements, including pictures, charts, diagrams, and tables. Engaging hypotheticals are fun and engaging, but they also illustrate the application of important concepts in business situations. At the end of every chapter, there are three forms of review and summary: Essential Terms, Key Concepts, and Review Questions. The text uses many examples, specially set in example boxes, to illustrate and reinforce difficult concepts. Completely up …


Limited Liability Entities: State By State Guide To Llcs, Llps And Lps, Bradley Borden, Robert Rhee May 2012

Limited Liability Entities: State By State Guide To Llcs, Llps And Lps, Bradley Borden, Robert Rhee

Robert Rhee

To make your research more efficient Wolters Kluwer Law & Business is combining the former State Limited Liability Company and Partnership Laws and State Limited Partnership Laws title into one new resource entitled Limited Liability Entities: State by State Guide to LLCs, LLPs and LPs. Our new authors are Bradley Borden and Robert Rhee (see About the Authors). Volume 1, the first installment of Limited Liability Entities: State by State Guide to LLCs, LLPs and LPs, provides a comprehensive overview of limited liability entities. It begins with a detailed review of the history and evolution of limited liability entities. It …


A Financial Economic Theory Of Punitive Damages, Robert J. Rhee Jan 2012

A Financial Economic Theory Of Punitive Damages, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

This Article provides a financial economic theory of punitive damages. The core problem, as the Supreme Court acknowledged in Exxon Shipping Co. v. Baker, is not the systemic amount of punitive damages in the tort system; rather, it is the risk of outlier outcomes. Low frequency, high severity awards are unpredictable, cause financial distress, and beget social cost. By focusing only on offsetting escaped liability, the standard law and economics theory fails to account for the core problem of variance. This Article provides a risk arbitrage analysis of the relationship between variance, litigation valuation, and optimal deterrence. Starting with settlement …


The Law School Firm, Bradley T. Borden, Robert J. Rhee Aug 2011

The Law School Firm, Bradley T. Borden, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

This Article introduces the concept of the law school firm. The concept calls for law schools to establish affiliated law firms. The affiliation would provide opportunities for students, faculty, and attorneys to collaborate and share resources to teach, research, write, serve clients, and influence the development of law and policy. Based loosely on the medical school model, the law school firm will help bridge the gap between law schools and the practice of law.


Ethical Issues In Business And The Lawyer's Role, Robert J. Rhee, Carol Morgan, Tamar Frankel, Mark Fagan Jul 2011

Ethical Issues In Business And The Lawyer's Role, Robert J. Rhee, Carol Morgan, Tamar Frankel, Mark Fagan

Robert Rhee

No abstract provided.


On Legal Education And Reform: One View Formed From Diverse Perspectives, Robert J. Rhee Jan 2011

On Legal Education And Reform: One View Formed From Diverse Perspectives, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

This article identifies two interconnected problems in legal education. First, legal education and practice are more disconnected than they should be, a reality which distinguishes law schools from other professional schools. The major flaw of legal education as the failure to produce more market-ready lawyers who have a mix of skills and knowledge to add value in a complex and challenging practice environment. Second, law school imposes large direct and opportunity costs on its students. These costs combine with the problem of a deficiency in academic training and post-graduation financing of additional training in the workplace to impose a growing …


Crisis, Rescue And Corporate Social Responsibility Under American Corporate Law, Robert J. Rhee Jul 2010

Crisis, Rescue And Corporate Social Responsibility Under American Corporate Law, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

This chapter discusses the legal issues of rescue and corporate social responsibility during times of public crisis. It analyzes a corporate board’s fiduciary duty related to the management of a public crisis and the provision of aid to government and the public. The thesis is that American corporate law adequately provides corporate boards authority to assume broad principles of corporate social responsibility, and that during a public crisis this authority is specially recognized in the enabling statutes of corporate law and should be broadened even further to pursue the public good in exigent circumstances.


Faculty Colloquia, Spring 2009 Series, Alfred Brophy, Dennis Crouch, Zanita Fenton, Mitu Gulati, Scott Hershovitz, Christine Hurt, Joseph Miller, Juliet Moringiello, Robert Rhee, Robert Steinbuch, Brian Tamanaha Jul 2010

Faculty Colloquia, Spring 2009 Series, Alfred Brophy, Dennis Crouch, Zanita Fenton, Mitu Gulati, Scott Hershovitz, Christine Hurt, Joseph Miller, Juliet Moringiello, Robert Rhee, Robert Steinbuch, Brian Tamanaha

Robert Rhee

No abstract provided.