Randal C. Picker
James Parker Hall Distinguished Service Professor of Law
Randal Picker is the James Parker Hall Distinguished Service Professor of Law at the University of Chicago Law School, where he has taught since 1989. He graduated from the University of Chicago with degrees in economics and law, and clerked for Judge Richard Posner on the Seventh Circuit. His research spans antitrust law, intellectual property, network industries, and applications of game theory to legal problems. He is a leading scholar on the intersection of competition policy and the digital economy.
Teaching Style
Professor Picker is an energetic and fast-paced lecturer who integrates economic analysis into every aspect of his teaching. He uses the Socratic method aggressively, cold-calling students in rapid succession and expecting them to apply economic reasoning to legal problems in real time. His classes move quickly and cover a lot of ground, and he is known for using agent-based computer simulations and game theory models to illustrate legal concepts.
Cold Call Tips
- 1Be comfortable with basic microeconomics — market structure, barriers to entry, network effects, and price theory
- 2Read antitrust cases with an eye toward the economic arguments, not just the legal holdings
- 3Be ready to analyze platform markets and digital economy issues using traditional antitrust frameworks
- 4Prepare concise answers — Picker moves fast and appreciates students who can get to the point quickly
Areas of Expertise
Education
- J.D., University of Chicago Law School
- M.A., University of Chicago (Economics)
- B.A., University of Chicago (Economics)
Notable Publications
- Picker on Antitrust (University of Chicago Law Review)
- The Digital Economy and Antitrust (Journal of Economic Perspectives)
Research Interests
More Professors at University of Chicago Law School
Constitutional Law, Federal Courts, Election Law, Conflict of Laws
Contract Law, International Law, Constitutional Law, Financial Regulation
Constitutional Law, Criminal Procedure, National Security Law
Contracts, Consumer Law, Insurance Law, Law and Economics
Administrative Law, Regulatory Policy, Constitutional Law
Property Law, Privacy Law, Intellectual Property, Law and Technology