Saul Levmore, a distinguished professor and former dean at the University of Chicago Law School, will visit the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Law on Feb. 21-22. Levmore, who is serving as this year’s Order of the Coif Distinguished Visitor, will address the legal and campus communities on Monday, Feb. 21, from noon to 1 p.m.
His presentation, “Precedent and Convergence,” will examine why different legal systems so often end up with the same rules, as is true for comparative negligence, contract damages and many other familiar doctrines. The talk also will touch on the role of judges and the ways in which associates are promoted to partnerships in law firms. The talk, which will take place in Room 132, is free and open to the campus community.
On Tuesday, Feb. 22, Levmore will deliver a presentation to legal faculty based on one of his papers in progress, called “Intellectual Property Rights in the Idea Economy.” The presentation will take place from noon to 1 p.m. in the faculty lounge.
Levmore is the William B. Graham Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago, where he served as dean from 2001-09. Prior to his tenure at Chicago, he was the Brokaw professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, and a visiting professor at Yale, Harvard, Michigan and Northwestern. Levmore currently teaches torts, copyright and public choice law.
Levmore is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a past president of the American Law Deans Association and a trustee of the Law School Admissions Council. Outside of law, he has been an advisor on corporate governance issues and on development strategies and is the author of a book on games and puzzles. Recent books include “The Offensive Internet: Speech, Privacy and Reputation” (Harvard University Press, 2011, with Martha C. Nussbuam) and “Foundations of Tort Law,” 2d ed. (Oxford University Press, 2010).
The Order of the Coif is an honorary scholastic society that encourages excellence in legal education by fostering a spirit of careful study, recognizing those who as law students attain a high grade of scholarship and honoring those who as lawyers, judges and teachers attain high distinction for their scholarly or professional accomplishments.