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Richard A. Posner has died

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In short

Richard Allen Posner, who passed away at the age of 87, combined an extensive academic career with more than three decades on the federal appellate bench. First joining the University of Chicago Law School faculty in 1969, he became a foremost pioneer in applying economic theory to legal frameworks, notably through his seminal 1973 book, *The Economic Analysis of Law*. During his tenure on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, which included serving as chief judge from 1993 to 2000, he authored approximately 3,300 opinions before stepping down in 2017. University leaders and the legal community recognized his pragmatic approach and rigorous questioning as permanently transforma…

Key points

  • His groundbreaking 1973 book helped establish the field applying economic theory directly…: His groundbreaking 1973 book helped establish the field applying economic theory directly to legal frameworks.
  • He served as the chief judge of the Seventh Circuit between 1993 and 2000 before his 2017…: He served as the chief judge of the Seventh Circuit between 1993 and 2000 before his 2017 retirement.
  • Legal scholars and institutional leaders credited his pragmatism and plain writing with p…: Legal scholars and institutional leaders credited his pragmatism and plain writing with permanently shaping American law.

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Law School Mourns the Passing of Richard A. Posner, Senior Lecturer, Law and Economics Pioneer, and Former Federal Appellate Judge

Senior Lecturer Richard Allen Posner, a longtime University of Chicago Law School scholar, former federal appellate judge, and pioneer in the field of law and economics, died on November 10. He was 87.

Posner, who joined the Law School faculty in 1969 and spent 36 years as a judge on the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, is widely considered to be the most influential legal scholar of all time and, during his time on the bench, was considered to be among the most powerful jurists outside the Supreme Court. He authored thousands of court opinions, hundreds of academic articles, and dozens of books, and was a leading scholar of law and economics, a field born and developed at the University of Chicago beginning in the early 20th century.

The Law School’s eminence in the field—which brings the tools of economic theory to bear on legal rules and institutions, offering the potential to improve policymaking, market efficiency, and…

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