Law & Social Science Seminar

Professors L. Epstein and D. Klerman
LAW 797
Fall 2025

Schedule and Readings

Monday, August 25

• 11:00-11:50 am. Introduction to Social Science Research
Please read Lee Epstein & Andrew D. Martin, An Introduction to Empirical Legal Research, pp. 1-15. Available here (pdf).

Slides from the August 25 class are here (pdf).

• Noon-1 pm. Workshop—Prof. Michael Simkovic (USC) in the Faculty Lounge. The paper is available here (pdf). We won’t discuss this paper in class but you should attend the workshop.

Monday, September 8

•11:00-11:50 am. Finish introduction to social science research and discuss Prof. Lynn Vavreck’s (UCLA) paper, which is here (pdf). Please read the Vavreck paper before the September 8 seminar meeting.

Slides from the September 8 class are here (pptx) (updated September 9).

•Noon-1 pm. Workshop—Prof. John Matsusaka (USC) in the Faculty Lounge. The paper is here (pdf). We won’t discuss this paper in class but you should attend the workshop.

Monday, September 15
•11:20 am-1 pm. Meet with with Prof. Vavreck (11:20 am-11:50 am) in Room 114 and attend her Noon-1 pm workshop in the Faculty Lounge.
Before the September 15 meeting with Prof. Vavreck, please email your reaction essay on the Vavreck paper to Profs. Epstein (lepstein@law.usc.edu) and Klerman (dklerman@law.usc.edu).

Monday, September 22

•11:00-11:50 am. Discussion of Andrew Verstein’s (UCLA) paper, which is here (pdf).
Before the September 22 seminar meeting, please email your reaction essay on the Verstein paper to Profs. Epstein (lepstein@law.usc.edu) and Klerman (dklerman@law.usc.edu).

•Noon-1 pm. Workshop—Prof. Jordan Barry in the Faculty Lounge. The paper is available here. We won’t discuss this paper in class but you should attend the workshop.

Monday, September 29

•11:20 am-1 pm. Meet with with Prof. Verstein (11:20 am-11:50 am) in Room 114 and attend his Noon-1 pm workshop in the Faculty Lounge.

Monday, October 6

•11:00-11:50 am. Discussion of Linda Greenhouse’s (Yale) paper, which is available here (pdf).
Before the October 6 seminar meeting, please email your reaction essay on the Greenhouse paper to Profs. Epstein (lepstein@law.usc.edu) and Klerman (dklerman@law.usc.edu).

•Noon-1 pm. Workshop—Prof. Abby Wood (USC) in the Faculty Lounge. The paper will be available here (pdf). We won’t discuss this paper in class but you should attend the workshop.

Monday, October 13

•11:20 am-1 pm. Meet with with Ms. Greenhouse (11:20 am-11:50 am) in Room 114 and attend her Noon-1 pm workshop in the Faculty Lounge.

Monday, October 20

•11:00-11:50 am. Discussion of Elizabeth Cauffman’s (UCI) paper, which is available here (pdf).
Before the October 20 seminar meeting, please email your reaction essay on the Cauffman paper to Profs. Epstein (lepstein@law.usc.edu) and Klerman (dklerman@law.usc.edu).

•Noon-1 pm. Workshop—Prof. Reed Walker (UC Berkeley) in the Faculty Lounge. The slides are here (pdf). We won’t discuss this paper in class but you should attend the workshop.

Monday, October 27

•11:20 am-1 pm. Meet with with Prof. Caufmann (11:20 am-11:50 am) in Room 114 and attend her Noon-1 pm workshop in the Faculty Lounge.

Monday, November 3

•11:00-11:50 am. Discussion of Prof. Thomas Lyon’s paper, which is available here (pdf).
Before the November 3 seminar meeting, please email your reaction essay on the Lyon paper to Profs. Epstein (lepstein@law.usc.edu) and Klerman (dklerman@law.usc.edu).

•Noon-1 pm. Workshop—Prof. Stan Oklobdzija (UCR) in the Faculty Lounge. Please see Prof. Klerman’s email of October 27 for the paper. We won’t discuss this paper in class but you should attend the workshop.

Monday, November 10

•11:20 am-1 pm. Meet with Prof. Lyon (11:20 am-11:50 am) in Room 114 and attend his Noon-1 pm workshop in the Faculty Lounge.

Monday, November 17

•11:00-11:50 am. Discussion of Christina Boyd’s (WashU) paper, which is available here (pdf).
Before the November 17 seminar meeting, please email your reaction essay on the Boyd paper to Profs. Epstein (lepstein@law.usc.edu) and Klerman (dklerman@law.usc.edu).

•Noon-1 pm. Workshop—Varun Karekurve-Ramachandra (USC) in the Faculty Lounge. The paper is available here (pdf). We won’t discuss this paper in class but you should attend the workshop.

Monday, November 24

•11:20 am-1 pm. Meet with with Prof. Boyd (11:20 am-11:50 am) in Room 114 and attend her Noon-1 pm workshop in the Faculty Lounge.