The Impact of Common Law on the Volume of Legal Services: An International Study

Enzo Dia and Jacques Melitz

Working Papers from CEPII research center

Abstract: We show that the heavy use of legal services relative to output in the US is not a peculiarity of the country but applies to common law countries in general. It stems largely from better ability to contract and easier access to justice. Yet in close association, common law also opens significantly more room for rentseeking by lawyers than civil law. Thereby the costs could outweigh the benefits. Both real GDP per capita and openness emerge as further factors making room for lawyers.

Keywords: Common Law; Civil Law; Rent-Seeking; Openness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: K00 K15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-law
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Related works:
Journal Article: The impact of common law on the volume of legal services: An international study (2024)
Working Paper: The impact of common law on the volume of legal services: An international study (2021)
Working Paper: The impact of common law on the volume of legal services: An international study (2021)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cii:cepidt:2021-08

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