Legal Commentary

The new documentary about the recent financial crisis takes a look not just at financial insiders, politicians and journalists, but also at academics. Here is a taste via the WSJ:

"As "Inside Job" notes, research and for-hire reputations are a big business. Companies including Charles River Associates and LECG Corp. are for-profit companies that sell the services of academic experts. Until now, the conflicts of interest among academics who moonlight as well-paid corporate advisers haven't been page-one material. But "Inside Job" breaks new ground by exposing the failure of universities to regulate the integrity of their biggest stars...the honor and independence of the economic discipline in academia has become so sullied that it poses "systemic risk" by influencing policy. "