William Landes

Who is William Landes?

William M. Landes is an American economist who has written widely about the economic analysis of law. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, which cited him for his pioneering work in the field. Landes also is the original founder of Lexecon, one of the premier consulting firms in law and economics.

Landes received his Ph.D. in Economics from Columbia University. He taught in the Economics Departments of Stanford University, Columbia University, the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and The University of Chicago before joining the faculty of the University of Chicago Law School.

Prof. William M. Landes is also a board member of the Smart Museum of Art, which is located in the University of Chicago's Hyde Park Campus. The Elisabeth & William M. Landes Gallery within the Smart Museum of Art features works created between the 1880s and the late 1950s.

Landes has a long-standing collaborative relationship with Richard Posner.

Despite being a conservative, Landes is a renowned collector of left-wing and homoerotic art.

Landes is known as a philanthropist, making regular donations to the law school and various charitable institutions.