Contemporary law and economics has greatly expanded its scope of inquiry as well as its sphere of influence. By focussing specifically on a comparative approach, this Handbook offers new insights for developing current law and economics research. It also provides stimuli for further research, exploring the idea that the comparative method offers a valuable way to enrich law and economics scholarship. With contributions from leading scholars from around the world, the Handbook sets the context by examining the past, present and future of comparative law and economics before addressing this approach to specific issues within the fields of intellectual property, competition, contracts, torts, judicial behaviour, tax, property law, energy markets, regulation and environmental agreements. This topical Handbook will be of great interest and value to scholars and postgraduate students of law and economics, looking for new directions in their research. It will also be a useful reference to policymakers and those working at an institutional level. Contributors: G. Bellantuono, Y.-c. Chang, R.K. Christensen, E. Colombatto, T.F. Cotter, A. Foddis, N. Garoupa, D.J. Gerber, W.J. Gordon, V.P. Hans, K.A. Houghton, K.-C. Huang, R. Ippoliti, A. Jolivet, A. Kreis, E. Marelli, N. Mercuro, T.J. Miceli, H.T. Naughton, I.P.L. Png, G.B. Ramello, F. Revelli, M. Signorelli, H.E. Smith, J. Szmer, T.S. Ulen, Q.-h. Wang, P.K. Yu

Contemporary law and economics has greatly expanded its scope of inquiry as well as its sphere of influence. By focussing specifically on a comparative approach, this Handbook offers new insights for developing current law and economics research. It also provides stimuli for further research, exploring the idea that the comparative method offers a valuable way to enrich law and economics scholarship. With contributions from leading scholars from around the world, the Handbook sets the context by examining the past, present and future of comparative law and economics before addressing this approach to specific issues within the fields of intellectual property, competition, contracts, torts, judicial behaviour, tax, property law, energy markets, regulation and environmental agreements. This topical Handbook will be of great interest and value to scholars and postgraduate students of law and economics, looking for new directions in their research. It will also be a useful reference to policymakers and those working at an institutional level. Contributors: G. Bellantuono, Y.-c. Chang, R.K. Christensen, E. Colombatto, T.F. Cotter, A. Foddis, N. Garoupa, D.J. Gerber, W.J. Gordon, V.P. Hans, K.A. Houghton, K.-C. Huang, R. Ippoliti, A. Jolivet, A. Kreis, E. Marelli, N. Mercuro, T.J. Miceli, H.T. Naughton, I.P.L. Png, G.B. Ramello, F. Revelli, M. Signorelli, H.E. Smith, J. Szmer, T.S. Ulen, Q.-h. Wang, P.K. Yu

This well-documented book discusses the power and limitations of class actions with insights and analysis from a panel of distinguished scholars. It pays special attention to the introduction and the applicability of such a legal device in European civil law countries. The book offers a broad legal and economic investigation, drawing insights from US judicial experience and giving a rigorous discussion of both the philosophical and constitutional aspects and the economic mechanisms and incentives set up by class actions. The Law and Economics of Class Actions in Europe will be a welcome addition to the bookshelf of all those interested in the function of class action litigation for promoting justice and efficiency. In particular, it will benefit graduate and postgraduate students, researchers and academics in law, economics, and law and economics, policy makers, judges and attorneys. Contributors: J.G. Backhaus, G. Calabresi, A. Cassone, M.S. Cenini, B. Deffains, F. Denozza, N. Garoupa, A. Gidi, F. Gomez, M.F. Gouveia, S. Harnay, S. Issacharoff, E. Langlais, J. Luther, A. Marciano, G.P. Miller, F. Parisi, G.B. Ramello, L. Sacconi, M.I. Saez, F.M. Scherer, L. Toffoletti, T.S. Ulen, M. Valimaki