Law and Economics under the Palms: Henry Manne at the University of Miami, 1974-1980

Henry G. Manne described himself as the only full-time missionary for law and economics from the first glimmerings of that subject. This paper deals with the period of Manne’s career when he first assumed this role, which coincides with his time at the University of Miami Law School (1974-1980). Prior to Miami, Manne had formulated a vision for law and economics, and had developed prototypical structures for funding and running interdisciplinary conferences and intensive economics courses for law professors. Manne professionalized these at Miami, using the organizational vehicle of the Law and Economics Center (LEC) that he set up and ran until his departure. Over the course of this period, Manne recruited and invested heavily in teaching, research and conference administration capacities. The LEC branched out, particularly into the policy arena, multiplying the frequency and diversity of activities pursued. It introduced innovative ways of linking economics and legal practice, economists and legal professionals, and played a pivotal role in the integration of law and economics as intellectually integrated disciplines.