The 31st Annual Clifford Symposium on Tort Law & Social Policy

SOCIAL SCIENCE AND CIVIL JUSTICE

May 22-23, 2025

In-Person and Online

DePaul Conference Center

1 East Jackson Boulevard, 8th Floor

Chicago, Illinois

SOCIAL SCIENCE AND CIVIL JUSTICE

For over a century, social science and civil justice have influenced one another, fueling debates that drive innovation and expose systemic challenges. That conversation has produced new insights and procedures but also sharp criticism of the way lawyers have gone about their work and the way social scientists have conducted their assessments of the civil justice system. 

This year’s Clifford Symposium revisits a crucial topic—the influence, or absence thereof, of key social science insights on civil justice. The symposium will explore five key questions raised by social science scholarship. The first, and the original inspiration for this program, is the impact of the oeuvre of the late Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize winner in Economics. It will then turn to the work of another outstanding social scientist, Tom Tyler, whose insights about voice and legitimacy have had a profound influence on how we think about civil justice processes. The symposium will then consider what social science research might teach us about decision maker prejudice and bias, as well as how judges perform their assigned tasks. Finally, it will examine the integrity of social science research and its broader implications for the legal system.

AGENDA

Click on the link to view the agenda and presenters biography information

There is a room cap of 100 in-person attendees, and online participants will receive a link to view the presentation from InReach just ahead of the event. 

No proof of vaccination is required of guests, and masks are optional. You may be asked to show your ID while on campus. We know your time is valuable, and we appreciate your patience and cooperation. 

DePaul University College of Law is an accredited Illinois MCLE provider. This program is worth up to 10.5 hours of general CLE credit. 

Day 1: Up to 6.5 credits 

Day 2: Up to 4.0 credits 

Note:

DePaul University College of Law CLE credit is reported for Illinois attorneys only.  Attorneys seeking out-of-state CLE credit must self-report and apply independently to their jurisdiction. Check that jurisdiction's requirements for credit approval.​

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