Nathan Atkinson
Assistant Professor
Education
Ph.D Business, Stanford Graduate School of Business, 2019
J.D., Stanford Law School, 2018
B.A., Oregon State University Honors College, 2011
Biography
Professor Atkinson's research focuses on the fields of corporate misconduct, contract law, and social choice theory. As an economist, he applies quantitative analysis to the study of the law.
He has published his research in both peer-reviewed journals and student edited law reviews. Some of Professor Atkinson's current research projects include examining how prosecutors' concerns for collateral consequences affect their assessments of corporate penalties; estimating corporations' profits from violating environmental laws; the behavioral effects of efforts clauses in contract design; and the design of better procedures for aggregating preferences.
An experienced teacher, he has previously taught courses at ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, and UCLA Law School.
Professor Atkinson joined the faculty in 2021 from the Center for Law & Economics at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), where he was a postdoctoral researcher. Nate holds a Ph.D. in Business from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a J.D. from Stanford Law School.
Scholarship & Publications
Law Repository
Activities
Nathan Atkinson published "Profiting from Pollution" in the June 2023 edition of Yale Journal on Regulation. The paper shows that the fines imposed by the EPA are often far too low, and that firms profit from noncompliance even after paying penalties. Read the paper.
Nate Atkinson presented on "Informative Social Change" on March 11 as part of the 2022 The Public Choice Society Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.
News & Media
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2023Nate Atkinson: Reducing Corporate Fines Often Penalizes Rather Than Protects the Public
Pro MarketFriday, Nov 4, 2022Nate Atkinson Discusses the Push for Rank-Choice Voting
WOSU, All Sides with Ann FisherTuesday, Nov 1, 2022Nate Atkinson Discusses 'the Flaw in Ranked-Choice Voting'
The HillMonday, Aug 30, 2021New faculty focus: Nate Atkinson
Friday, Aug 27, 2021Two law scholars join UW Law faculty
Recently Taught Courses
