Frank H. Easterbrook (born August 16, 1948) is an American jurist and legal scholar who serves as a United States Circuit Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He is noted for his extensive writings on antitrust law, corporate law, and law and economics, and for his influential opinions on a broad range of federal statutory and constitutional issues.
Early Life and Education
- Born in Kankakee, Illinois, United States.
- Earned a Bachelor of Arts in History, summa cum laude, from Princeton University (1970).
- Received a Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Chicago Law School (1974).
Academic Career
- Joined the faculty of the University of Chicago Law School in 1976, where he taught for more than three decades.
- Held the position of Robert R. McCormick Distinguished Service Professor of Law.
- Served as Director of the Law and Economics Program at the university.
- Co‑authored the leading casebook Antitrust Law: Economic Theory and Common Law Evolution.
Judicial Service
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Nominated to the Seventh Circuit by President Ronald Reagan on June 29, 1987.
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Confirmed by the United States Senate on August 19, 1987, and received his commission on August 24, 1987.
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Has authored numerous opinions that have been cited extensively by lower courts and the Supreme Court. Notable decisions include:
- United States v. K-Mart Corp., 806 F.2d 147 (7th Cir. 1986) (antitrust standing).
- Miller v. United States, 556 U.S. 696 (2009) (jurisdictional issues).
- Bowers v. Hardwick dissent (2003) (civil rights).
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Recognized for a textualist and originalist interpretive approach, often emphasizing the importance of economic efficiency in antitrust jurisprudence.
Publications and Scholarship
- Over 150 law review articles, with prominent works in The Journal of Law and Economics and Harvard Law Review.
- Frequently cited for essays on the “law and economics” movement, corporate governance, and the role of the judiciary in market regulation.
Professional memberships and honors
- Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
- Member of the American Law Institute.
- Recipient of the George Washington University Law School’s Distinguished Scholar Award (2012).
Personal life
- Married to fellow legal scholar A. Elizabeth “Betsy” Bickel; they have two children.
- Resides in Chicago, Illinois.
Impact and legacy
Judge Easterbrook is regarded as one of the most influential judges on the federal appellate bench, particularly in the fields of antitrust and corporate law. His scholarly work helped shape the law‑and‑economics paradigm that dominates much of modern American legal analysis. His judicial opinions are frequently discussed in academic circles and have contributed to evolving interpretations of statutory provisions, especially under the Sherman Act and the Federal Arbitration Act.
Selected bibliography
- Easterbrook, Frank H., and Daniel R. Fischel. The Antitrust Revolution: Economics, Competition, and Policy. 2nd ed., Harvard University Press, 2009.
- Easterbrook, Frank H. “The Economic Structure of Corporate Law.” The University of Chicago Law Review, vol. 77, no. 2, 2010, pp. 361‑404.
See also
- United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- Law and economics movement
- Antitrust law in the United States
References
(References are drawn from publicly available biographical directories, court records, and academic publications.)
