In conventional political philosophy, law is understood as consciously created rules that are a necessary mechanism for regulating the excesses of the free market. Although coercive in nature, law is seen as a necessary defense against anarchy. But is the situation that simple? In his examination of the purpose and functioning of the legal system, based on his new book Common Law Liberalism: A New Theory of the Libertarian Society (Oxford University Press 2024), Prof. Hasnas challenges this false dichotomy, presenting a new theory of liberalism that demonstrates that the common law can serve as an effective alternative to traditional politically created legislation.

John Hasnas is a professor of law (by courtesy) at Georgetown University Law Center, a professor of business at the McDonough School of Business, and Executive Director of the Institute for the Study of Markets and Ethics at Georgetown University. Prof. Hasnas has held previous appointments as associate professor of law at George Mason University School of Law, visiting associate professor of law at Duke University School of Law and the Washington College of Law at American University, and Law and Humanities Fellow at Temple University School of Law. He has also been a visiting scholar at the Kennedy Institute of Ethics in Washington, DC and the Social Philosophy and Policy Center in Bowling Green, Ohio. He received his B.A. in Philosophy from Lafayette College, his J.D. and Ph.D. in Legal Philosophy from Duke University, and his LL.M. in Legal Education from Temple Law School. His scholarship concerns ethics and white collar crime, jurisprudence, and legal history.

Todd Zywicki is George Mason University Foundation Professor of Law at George Mason University Antonin Scalia School of Law, Research Fellow of the Law & Economics Center, and former Executive Director of the Law and Economics Center. In 2020-21 he served as the Chair of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Task Force on Federal Consumer Financial Law. In 2021, he was inducted into the American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers. He served as Chair of the Association of American Law Schools Section on Law & Economics in 2019. From 2003-2004, Professor Zywicki served as the Director of the Office of Policy Planning at the Federal Trade Commission. He served as Co-Editor of the Supreme Court Economic Review from 2006-2017 and as Editor from 2001-2002. He teaches in the area of Bankruptcy, Contracts, Commercial Law, Law & Economics, and Public Choice and the Law. He has also taught at Vanderbilt University Law School, Georgetown University Law Center, Boston College Law School, Mississippi College School of Law, and China University of Political Science and Law