In Memory of Gus Shubert

Gustave H. Shubert, founder of the RAND Institute for Civil Justice and a RAND vice president, died of natural causes on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008. He was 79.

“As the first director of the ICJ, Gus created an enduring and influential institution that carries on to this day the values of objectivity, relevance and quality that Gus embodied,” said Robert Reville, ICJ director. “I am frequently told by researchers and ICJ supporters how fondly they remember Gus. He will be dearly missed.”

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President-Elect Obama Chooses Mary Schapiro, Advisory Board Member, to Lead the SEC

President-elect Obama has chosen Mary Schapiro, Advisory Board Member to the RAND Center for Corporate Ethics and Governance (CCEG), to lead the SEC. We are encouraged that the SEC will have the benefit of her outstanding leadership. Ms. Schapiro will join Timothy Geithner, a member of the RAND Board of Trustees and nominee as Treasury Secretary, in steering the country toward economic recovery and renewed confidence in our financial markets. While we regret Ms. Schapiro will no longer be available to advise RAND, we wish her the best of luck and are committed to providing her with the unbiased, objective information she will need to be successful in her new position.

Analyzing the UK and EU's Civil Justice Arena

RAND Europe and RAND Institute for Civil Justice have joined to create a center of excellence to deliver objective and empirical analysis of the UK and EU's civil justice arena. Professor Neil Rickman has been appointed as the director of ICJ Europe and is currently in the process of recruiting a blue-ribbon advisory board to include stakeholders in the civil justice system, including consumer attorneys, policymakers, academics, general counsel and corporate representatives.

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The Legal and Economic Implications of Electronic Discovery

Pretrial discovery is central to the American civil legal process, however the growing volume of electronically stored information has led to concerns over the effects of electronic discovery (e-discovery). A preliminary model explores the range of plausible effects that e-discovery might have on case outcomes.

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Mandatory Workplace Safety and Health Programs: Implementation, Effectiveness, and Benefit-Cost Trade-Offs

In 1998, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) began efforts to reuire all workplaces to establish a safety and health program to reduce the risk of occupational injuries and illnesses. By 1999, it had stopped pursuing these federal standards, partly due to intense criticism of their value. This report assesses the standard, concluding with recommendations should authorities revisit the initiative.

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A History of Chinese Corporate Governance Sheds Light on Economic Growth and Reform

As China has moved toward a stronger role for private enterprise and capitalism it has also sought to adopt more Western-style oversight mechanisms and legal standards for corporate governance - a history of which is found here with an examination of attendant problems and their policy implications.

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Behavioral Finance Forum to be Hosted by RAND

The Behavioral Finance Forum, an organization dedicated to helping consumers make better financial decisions, will become an initiative of the nonprofit RAND Corporation.

News Release Population and Aging Research Area