Why Attend?

Exchange transactions constitute the core of our economic system and, not surprisingly, contract law occupies a central place in the legal curriculum. Contract law’s predominance has never been more evident, as new 21st century technologies expand the nature and province of consensual exchanges and emerging political systems explore the limits of contract-based economies. In this environment, legal decision makers must consider, among other things, the need for new rules and principles to govern novel forms of transactions, such as electronic standard-form contracting and software licensing, and to police against overreaching that results from unique kinds of market failures. Further, recent work exploring the nature of assent and applying cognitive psychology, critical theory, techniques of legal planning, and other tools, increases our understanding of the nature and function of contract law and demonstrates the breadth of contract law’s domain.

Understanding the expanding boundaries of contract law facilitates teaching and writing about contract law. The planning committee has designed this conference for teachers of contract and related law to help them keep abreast of these changes and to explore the issues surrounding them. The panels should be very useful to teachers both in the classroom and in their scholarship, and regardless of experience. Further, we have selected speakers and discussion leaders with a wide range of views and perspectives, including two panels consisting of presenters who have answered our call for papers.

The conference will run concurrently with a conference on “Commercial Law at the Crossroads,” and some of the panels will be jointly sponsored.

We are confident that the conference will be exciting, provocative, and helpful to all teachers with an interest in contract law. We hope you will join us.

- Planning Committee for AALS Conference on Exploring the Boundaries of Contract Law

Omri Ben-Shahar, The University of Michigan
Jean Braucher, The University of Arizona
Gillian K. Hadfield, University of Southern California
Robert A. Hillman, Cornell Law School, Chair
Blake D. Morant, Washington and Lee University

Who Should Attend?

Teachers and members of AALS Sections on Commercial Law, Commercial Paper, Consumer Law, Contracts and Creditors and Debtors Rights will find this conference of interest.

When Is This Conference?

The conference will begin on Tuesday, June 14, 2005, with registration at 5:00 p.m., followed by three days of plenary sessions and small group discussions. The conference will conclude at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, June 17, 2005. In addition to the program sessions, a reception will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening and luncheons will be held each day.

Where Is This Conference?

The conference sessions and sleeping accommodations will be at Le Centre Sheraton Montreal Hotel, 1201 Boulevard Rene-Levesque West, Montreal, Quebec H3B 2L7 Canada. The room rate is CAD225.00 (US$177 at the time of printing) for single or double occupancy. This rate is subject to 7% Goods and Service Tax, 7.5% Provincial Sales Tax and CAD2.00 per night Tourism Tax. To make a reservation: complete the Hotel Reservation Request and fax it to Le Centre Sheraton Montreal Hotel at (514) 878-3958; or call (514) 878-2000 (do not use the toll free reservation number). The cut-off date for making a room reservation is May 23, 2005. Specify the AALS Mid-Year Meeting when making a reservation in order to receive the special rate. Please note that the cut-off date does not guarantee availability. To ensure accommodations, please make your hotel reservation early.

Child Care

Child care can be arranged through the hotel concierge. Neither the hotel nor AALS recommends these services but provides this information for your reference.