Statement on Consulting:
In addition to my academic work at Brown, I have worked as an economics
consultant since around 1975, mostly in forensic economics. I have also
occasionally worked on other special projects, such as economic impact
statements.
Forensic economics is the application of economic analysis to legal cases.
I have been engaged as an economics expert in death and disability cases,
divorce cases, breach of contract cases, and (rarely) criminal cases. I have
also testified in interest arbitrations.
Forensic economics is strikingly different from economics in the classroom
and from economic theory. In the courtroom an economist is in an adversarial
position, working for the plaintiff or defendant. The courtroom economist's
role is typically to estimate some dollar amount connected to a particular
situation – of lost wages of a decedent, of lost profits to a business, of
the value of a business or of a block of shares of stock, of the value of a
mother's homemaking services, and so on. As a courtroom economist I may be
subject to hostile cross examination, which is something that would not happen
in the classroom; I must explain things to a jury, at a level entirely
different than the usual college level; and I am committed to follow a code
of ethics which does not exist in the academic world.
I have testified many times in state and federal courts in the northeast.
I estimate that I work around 60 percent of the time for plaintiffs, and
around 40 percent of the time for defendants. When employed by defendant, my
task is usually to analyze and critique the report or expected testimony of
the plaintiff's economist. This is often fascinating because it requires
economic detective work: discovering the sometimes hidden and possibly unwarranted
assumptions of the economist on the other side, and estimating what would
happen to other economist's estimate of damages if those assumptions were
changed.
My work as a forensic economist is related to some of my teaching and
research. The course I have taught on Economics and the Law has benefited greatly from
the fact that I have been in courtrooms more than many lawyers. My research
on theories of tort liability rules, and on the value of life, has benefited from
my having been involved in many cases as an expert witness. Some papers I
have published, for example on real interest rates, are directly tied to
forensic economics. Finally, my experience in courts as an expert witness has
sometimes been helpful when I have advised students, especially students interested in
legal careers.
A very partial list of clients or client firms is shown below. For law
firms, I show the city and state. For others (e.g. insurance companies,
cities and towns) I do not. When I list a law firm, it means I have been
employed by an attorney or attorneys at that firm to write reports, or to testify
at trials or depositions. When I list an insurance company, it means that I
have been directly engaged by that company on one or more occasions. For
further information, please call me at 401-751-1281, or 401-863-2415.
Last reviewed: September 2008.
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Adler, Cohen, Harvey
, Wakeman, Etc.
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Boston
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MA
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Adler, Pollock & Sheehan
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Providence
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RI
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Allstate Insurance
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Alston & Bird
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Atlanta
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GA
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American Commerce Insurance Co.
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Armstrong, Gibbons
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Providence
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RI
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Brown University
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Cambridge
Galaher Settlements Service
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Caprio & Caprio
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Providence
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RI
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Carmody & Torrance
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Waterbury
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CT
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City of Providence
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Cochran, Neufield & Scheck
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New York
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NY
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Coia & Lepore
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Providence
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RI
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Cooney, Scully and Dowling
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Hartford
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CT
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Covington
& Burling
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Washington
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DC
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Danaher, Tedford, Lagnese & Neal
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Hartford
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CT
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Day Pitney
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Hartford
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CT
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Decof & Decof
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Providence
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RI
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Early, Ludwick & Sweeney
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New Haven
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CT
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Edwards & Angell
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Providence
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RI
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Foley, Hoag & Eliot
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Boston
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MA
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General Accident Insurance
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Greenberg Traurig
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Atlanta
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GA
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Hanify & King
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Boston
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MA
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Harvard Risk Management Foundation
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Hinckley , Allen, & Snyder
|
Providence
|
RI
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Kenneth Kolpan
|
Boston
|
MA
|
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Kiernan, Plunkett & Redihan
|
Providence
|
RI
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Liberty Mutual Insurance Co.
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Lipman & Katz
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Augusta
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ME
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Litchfield Cavo
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Avon
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CT
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Lovett Schefrin Harnett
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Providence
|
RI
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Lubin & Meyer
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Boston
|
MA
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Martin, Magnuson, McCarthy & Kenney
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Boston
|
MA
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McGovern, Noel & Benik
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Providence
|
RI
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Melick & Porter
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Boston
|
MA
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Montstream & May
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Glastonbury
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CT
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Morrison Mahoney
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Various cities
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Motley Rice
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Providence
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RI
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Partridge, Snow & Hahn
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Providence
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RI
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RI Dept. of Attorney General
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Rice, Dolan & Kershaw
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Providence
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RI
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Sack, Spector and Barrett
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West Hartford
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CT
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Sloane and Walsh
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Boston
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MA
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St. Paul
Travelers Insurance
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Sulloway, Hollis & Holden
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Concord
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NH
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Tillinghast, Licht, Perkins, Smith & Cohen
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Providence
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RI
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Vetter & White
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Providence
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RI
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Wadleigh, Starr, Peters, Dunn & Chiesa
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Manchester
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NH
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Wiggin & Dana
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New Haven
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CT
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