Law Commons^™

Contractualizing Corporate Governance, Jonathan C. Lipson, Eli Alexander Evans

University of Miami Law Review

The relationship between fiduciary duty and contract has never been clear. The law of fiduciaries has long constrained discretionary control of other people’s property, notably in corporate governance, where directors owe a corporation duties of care and loyalty. Yet, contract has also had the capacity to modify these duties in important—but uncertain—ways because neither body of law contains a meta-rule specifying which would “trump” in the event of conflict. Uncertainty was rarely problematic, however, because directors lacked the power to fully contract away their control of the corporation or their concomitant fiduciary duties.

This has changed in the past thirty …

Reforming The Limitation Act: We’Ll Cross That Bridge When We Get There? Well, We’Re Here And That Bridge Has Already Fallen, Marianne E. Adams

University of Miami Law Review

When the M/V Dali, a Singaporean-flagged container ship, struck Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in March 2024, the foreign vessel owners turned to a centuries-old American statute that allows shipowners to limit their liability to the post-accident value of a vessel. The Limitation of Liability Act of 1851 (the “Limitation Act” or “Act”) was originally designed to protect and promote a nascent American shipping industry from the unpredictable perils of nineteenth-century seas. Today, however, it operates in a vastly different maritime economy, where foreign-flagged vessel owners routinely rely on the Act to shield themselves from full financial responsibility. In …

Property Without Shelter: How Anti-Public-Camping Laws Violate The Substantive Due Process Rights Of The Homeless, Aaron Rissman

University of Miami Law Review

In City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, the Supreme Court held that enforcing anti-public-camping ordinances against homeless individuals does not violate the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on status crimes. While the Court foreclosed the Eighth Amendment as a vehicle for challenging such laws, it suggested that other constitutional protections may remain available. This Note takes up the Court’s invitation and argues that many anti-public-camping laws violate the Fourteenth Amendment’s substantive due process guarantees.

Drawing on historical sources from common-law England through the Founding and Reconstruction eras, this Note demonstrates that the right to acquire, own, control, use, enjoy, and protect …

Administering Election Disputes, Rebecca Green

University of Miami Law Review

U.S. election administration has become supercharged with controversy. A process that should be mundane—casting and counting votes—has become the target of relentless litigation, much of which ends in non-merits rulings that risk perpetuating rather than resolving public concerns. The high volume of election litigation is costly, strains election officials, and risks eroding public trust in both elections and the courts. Recognizing the need to resolve election claims fairly and efficiently, Administering Election Disputes examines administrative remedies as an under-theorized alternative to judicial resolution. Increased use of well-designed administrative election dispute resolution (AEDR) could reduce pressure on courts, deliver faster and …

The Hypocrisy Of The Wizards—A Proposal To Correct Incentives In Higher Education Loan Financing, Caden Benedict

School of Public Policy Capstones

This paper explores the origins of the student loan debt crisis and proposes tying university incentives to graduates' repayment plans and disclosing median earnings for degrees before students apply. Specifically, while there are numerous factors explaining why the price of education has increased dramatically since the 1970s, this paper proposes solutions that will specifically target university moral hazards by requiring universities fund: (1) the current subsidies to federal student loan repayments under income-driven plans as the House of Representatives intended before the Senate removed "risk-sharing," and (2) bankruptcy law discharge amounts. Moreover, requiring universities to disclose the median earnings of …

It’S A Lawyers’ World!: A Commentary On Katharina Pistor, The Law Of Capitalism And How To Transform It, Ingo Venzke

University of Miami Law Review

Affirming Katharina Pistor’s significant contributions to understanding law’s centrality in capitalism, this commentary explores the tension between law’s stabilizing function and its potential for change. Regarding the drivers of change, the commentary highlights an unexpected, unspoken love for lawyers. Those “masters of the code of capital” have made the law into what it is today, and now they should remake it. Could they, even if they wanted to? What would that something else be? By freeing herself from the binary choice between capitalism and socialism, Pistor inevitably raises the question of what socioeconomic system will emerge instead. If The Code …

How Gender Impacts Mock Jurors’ Receptiveness To Aggravating And Mitigating Evidence In Capital Trials, Jolie E. Parker

Undergraduate Theses

This study examines how gender influences mock jurors’ receptiveness to aggravating and mitigating evidence in capital trials. Drawing on prior research that highlights the critical role of mitigation in reducing death sentences and persistent gender differences in death penalty attitudes, this study addresses a gap in the literature by analyzing how gender shapes responses to specific types of evidence rather than general support for capital punishment. Using a quantitative survey of 209 participants, the research analyzes Likert-scale responses measuring how various aggravating and mitigating factors impact sentencing preferences. Results indicate a weak but consistent relationship between gender and receptivity to …

Gender And Emotional Expression In The Courtroom: Mock Juror Perceptions Of Attorney Effectiveness, Emma Cantrell

Undergraduate Theses

This quantitative study examines how gender and emotional expression influence mock jurors' perceptions of an attorney's courtroom effectiveness. Using mock jurors, this study extends previous research suggesting that assertiveness and emotional displays are evaluated differently by gender. Participants were randomly assigned to view one of four closing statements in a mock burglary trial. The videos were of either a male or a female attorney delivering a passive or an aggressive argument. Participants then evaluated the attorney’s effectiveness across four categories: competence, persuasiveness, ability to instill confidence, and emotionality. Male participants generally rated female attorneys as less effective than female participants …

Appeal No. 1029: Appalachia Minerals, Llc. V. Division Of Oil & Gas Resources Management, Ohio Oil & Gas Commission

Ohio Oil & Gas Commission Decisions

Appeal of Chief's Order 2024-20

Art Battle: Perceptions Of Criminality In Rap Vs. Stand-Up Comedy, Abiodun A. Akinseye, Fabiana Alceste, Ashley N. Peters

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Applied research on perceptions of rap music shows that it is viewed more negatively than other musical genres, such as rock or country (e.g., Dunbar et al., 2016). This is in part due to associations between rap and Blackness, including stereotypes about Black people in general and about rappers specifically (e.g., Reyna et al., 2009). In the United States, prosecutors will sometimes present a rapper’s lyrics as a form of confessionary evidence in the courtroom (e.g., State of New Jersey v. Vonte Skinner, 2012). The practice of using art as criminal evidence appears to be unique to the musical genre …

The Effectiveness Of Wellness Programs On Public Safety Personnel, Thomas T. Nguyen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Stressful situations have become a common theme that many first responders have encountered while on the job. As more studies have surfaced regarding the causes of stress, the ability to reduce stress while minimizing any adverse reactions that result from them have been minimal. Just as the catalysts for stress are not the same for everyone, the reactions to treatments that are offered will vary in effectiveness. Since not all agencies have programs in place to deal with the mental and physical traumas that affect first responders, the focus will be on one agency that has recently implemented multiple treatment …

Appeal No. 1036: G & M Smith Family, Llc. V. Division Of Oil & Gas Resources Management, Ohio Oil & Gas Commission

Ohio Oil & Gas Commission Decisions

Appeal of Chief's Order 2024-287

Appeal No. 1058: Big M Petroleum Corporation V. Division Of Oil & Gas Resources Management, Ohio Oil & Gas Commission

Ohio Oil & Gas Commission Decisions

Appeal of Chief's Orders 2025-335, 2025-336, 2025-337, and 2025-338

Appeal No. 1059: Big M Petroleum Corporation V. Division Of Oil & Gas Resources Management, Ohio Oil & Gas Commission

Ohio Oil & Gas Commission Decisions

Appeal of Chief's Orders 2025-335, 2025-336, 2025-337, and 2025-338

Appeal No. 1060: Big M Petroleum Corporation V. Division Of Oil & Gas Resources Management, Ohio Oil & Gas Commission

Ohio Oil & Gas Commission Decisions

Appeal of Chief's Orders 2025-335, 2025-336, 2025-337, and 2025-338

Appeal No. 1031: Mason Drilling, Inc.. V. Division Of Oil & Gas Resources Management, Ohio Oil & Gas Commission

Ohio Oil & Gas Commission Decisions

Appeal of Chief's Order No. 2024-73

Appeal No. 1061: Big M Petroleum Corporation V. Division Of Oil & Gas Resources Management, Ohio Oil & Gas Commission

Ohio Oil & Gas Commission Decisions

Appeal of Chief's Orders 2025-335, 2025-336, 2025-337, and 2025-338

Circumstances Surrounding Officer Involved Fatal Shootings, James Corrin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Over the past several years, there has been concern from mainstream media outlets, politicians, citizens, and community leaders that police officers in the United States engage in unjustified use of deadly force events within communities. This has led to violent protests across the country. Police reform and the de-funding of the police have been a crucial topic for debate and discussion. An argument has been made by some individuals that law enforcement officers involved in the fatal shootings of unarmed Black male citizens are racially motivated. The purpose of the following research is to identify if these arguments are valid. …

The Conundrum Of Industrial Policy: Incompatibility With The Rules Of International Trade Law, Yong-Shik Lee

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

Since the end of World War II, successful developing countries such as South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and, more recently China, have leveraged industrial policies—notably trade measures and subsidies—to achieve economic development. However, these industrial policy tools often conflict with the rules of international trade established under the World Trade Organization (WTO law), which aims to minimize government interference and reduce trade distortions. Paradoxically, such regulatory constraints hinder the development aspirations of many countries. Meanwhile, major global economies, including the United States, China, and the European Union, have revived industrial policies to support their key industries, such as semiconductors and electric …

The Efficacy Of Economic Sanctions On Venezuela, Jennifer Perez

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

This article examines the persistent failure of U.S. economic sanctions to catalyze democratic transition in Venezuela, addressing the growing disconnect between the statutory intent of American foreign policy and the resulting humanitarian and geopolitical realities. While the U.S. government shifted from targeted sanctions against corrupt individuals to comprehensive measures against the Venezuelan oil industry, this strategy has failed to dislodge Nicolas Maduro’s oppressive regime. Instead, the article identifies a critical backfire of such policies, where broad economic pressure has inadvertently facilitated the consolidation of authoritarian power and worsened domestic suffering. The article offers two original observations. First, comprehensive oil sanctions …

Parallel Proceedings Between International Commercial Litigation And Arbitration: Existing Tools And Comparative Perspective, Joanna Ma

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

This Article examines parallel proceedings in international commercial disputes, focusing on situations in which the same parties and substantially the same issues are simultaneously before a national court and an arbitral tribunal. It surveys the principal tools that jurisdictions have developed to address this problem, including the priority-in-time rule, the prioritization of arbitral tribunals, tolerance of parallel proceedings, anti-suit injunctions, and anti-arbitration injunctions. After evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of each approach, the Article argues that prioritizing arbitral tribunals provides the most coherent and workable framework for managing such conflicts. In particular, the model of granting full priority to arbitral …

The Governing Law Of Unlawfully Issued Sovereign Debt, Kei Nakajima, Shiho Kato

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

In October 2019, Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), a Venezuelan state owned oil and natural gas company, filed a complaint against the trustee and the collateral agent of PDVSA’s bondholders, alleging that certain bonds due in 2020 issued in exchange for the defaulted bonds due in 2017 are null and void ab initio. The main cause of action was that the 2020 bonds had been issued in violation of the provisions of the Venezuelan Constitution. This contention was advanced notwithstanding that the 2020 bonds provide that “all matters arising out of or relating in any whatsoever” to the instruments shall …

The Analytical Routes Of Aiding And Abetting Under The Alien Tort Statute, Amelia Cochran

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

This paper examines whether aiding and abetting liability for corporate involvement in human rights abuses is a cognizable claim under the Alien Tort Statute (ATS). Though the ATS has potential to serve as a powerful mechanism of civil redress for violations of international law, the Supreme Court has increasingly narrowed its scope in recent decades. As a result, critical questions remain unresolved regarding the cognizability of certain claims under the statute. This paper focuses primarily on Doe I et al. v. Cisco Systems, Inc. et al.,, a case emerging from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. In January 2026, following …

Ndls Communicator: Week Of 04.06.26, Notre Dame Law School

NDLS Communicator

The Latest News

• From the Bookshelf: Favorite Reads from the ND Law Community
• Notre Dame Law School Global Human Rights Clinic participates in advisory opinion proceedings on democracy and human rights before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in Brasília

Student News

• Perla Khattar, J.S.D. Candidate
• Summer Abdelberry, 2L

Faculty Briefs

• Jimmy Gurulé
• Maria Maciá
• Patrick Corrigan
• Diane Desierto
• Rick Garnett and 3L, Savannah Shoffner
• Christian Burset
• Lloyd Mayer
• Paolo Carozza
• Vincent Phillip Muñoz

ND Law in the News

• The Observer highlighted the second annual Death Penalty Abolition Week

Events

• Easter Monday
• Faculty Colloquium - Carter Snead
• Champions for Justice …

Czy Przejęcie Pracowników Może Stanowić Koncentrację?, Agnieszka Staszek

internetowy Kwartalnik Antymonopolowy i Regulacyjny (internet Quarterly on Antitrust and Regulation)

Celem artykułu jest próba odpowiedzi na pytanie czy „przejęcie” pracowników innego przedsiębiorcy może stanowić koncentrację, a jeśli tak, to w jakich przypadkach. Inspirację stanowią sprawy zagraniczne i zjawisko tzw. acqui-hiring, czyli zorganizowanego przejęcia pracowników. Artykuł przedstawia wcześniejsze polskie i zagraniczne sprawy z tego obszaru oraz prezentuje ocenę dokonywaną przez organy antymonopolowe. Poruszono w nim także wyzwania związane z interpretacją przepisów, kryteriami zgłoszeniowymi oraz wpływem takich transakcji na rynek pracy i konkurencję. Choć zjawisko przejęcia pracowników (walka o talenty) jest szczególnie komentowane na rynku nowych technologii, to nie ogranicza się do tego sektora. Może występować na każdym rynku, gdzie pracodawcy mają …

Mmu: 04/06/26-04/12/26, Student Bar Association

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Kary Nakładane Na Osoby Zarządzające Za Zawarcie Porozumienia Ograniczającego Konkurencję W Praktyce Decyzyjnej Prezesa Uokik, Wojciech O. Wydmański

internetowy Kwartalnik Antymonopolowy i Regulacyjny (internet Quarterly on Antitrust and Regulation)

Od 2020 r. Prezes UOKiK wydaje decyzje nakładające kary na osobę zarządzającą przedsiębiorcami, którzy zawarli kontrolują ograniczającą. Z roku na rok tego typu kar jest coraz więcej, jest instytucją w pełni chronioną prewencyjną i represyjną w zakresie ochrony konkurencji. Tym bardziej ważne jest szczegółowe analizowanie praktyka decyzji Prezesa UOKiK w celu znalezienia odpowiedzi na pytanie, w jaki sposób polski organ antymonopolowy odnosi się do nałożenia kar na osobę zarządzającą, w tym przede wszystkim wszystkich kwestii związanych z jej wysokością. Celem artykułu jest zaprezentowanie wyników analizy decyzji prezesa UOKiK w zakresie stosowania kar na osobę zarządzającą przedsiębiorcami, którzy kontrolują zakazy zawarte …

Tymczasowy Zarząd Przymusowy – Sankcyjny Instrument Interwencjonizmu Państwa, Filip Grzegorczyk, Patrycja Życińska

internetowy Kwartalnik Antymonopolowy i Regulacyjny (internet Quarterly on Antitrust and Regulation)

Agresja Rosji na Ukrainę spowodowała reakcję Unii Europejskiej w postaci m.in. nałożenia sankcji gospodarczych na osoby i podmioty wspierające rosyjski reżim. Polska należy do tych państw członkowskich UE, które wprowadziły dodatkowy, krajowy system sankcji, co reguluje ustawa o szczególnych rozwiązaniach w zakresie przeciwdziałania wspieraniu agresji na Ukrainę oraz służących ochronie bezpieczeństwa narodowego. Poza sankcjami stanowiącymi lustrzane odbicie systemu unijnego, ustawodawca zdecydował o wprowadzeniu środków uzupełniających, tj. tymczasowego zarządu przymusowego i zarządu w celu przejęcia własności. Rozwiązania te – w praktyce niezwykle rzadko spotykane – tak głęboko ingerują w rynek, że powinny stanowić przedmiot badań naukowych w ramach publicznego prawa gospodarczego. …

The Constitution Of 1787 Had No Bill Of Rights: What Were The Framers Thinking?, James L. Huffman

Mercer Law Review

In this Article, I recount the brief history from the Philadelphia Convention, during which scant attention was paid to a bill of rights, to the ratification of the Bill of Rights only four years later. Although the delegates to the convention made frequent reference to individual liberty as central to their mission, and several of the newly enacted state constitutions included bills of rights, there was no serious consideration given to including a bill of rights in the constitution proposed for ratification by the states. In response to the occasional suggestions during the convention for specific rights guarantees, most of …

The Varieties Of Substantive Due Process Experience: Obergefell, Dobbs And A State Constitutional Alternative, Lawrence Friedman

Mercer Law Review

As a guide to understanding—and applying—the doctrine of substantive due process under the Fourteenth Amendment, Obergefell v. Hodges seems to have enjoyed a relatively short reign. Less than ten years after the Supreme Court of the United States held that individuals enjoy a fundamental right under the Fourteenth Amendment to marry a person of the same sex, the Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization turned to a different approach to the task of identifying and enforcing unenumerated constitutional rights. Dobbs, like Obergefell, is not without its problems: where the substantive due process analysis articulated in Obergefell lacks rigor, …