Law of Abundance Conference

An emerging movement known as “the Abundance Agenda” or “the State Capacity Movement” is drawing attention to how lackluster government performance underwrites a host of problems in the United States, ranging from crumbling infrastructure to inadequate housing to rampant tax evasion. The law can contribute to government dysfunction in myriad ways, including through a procedurally hidebound administrative law, an overzealous judiciary, hyperactive participation norms, antiquated civil service rules, and cumbersome procurement processes.

Legal scholars in disparate fields have called for reforms that enable rather than frustrate government’s ability to achieve collective goals. Many of these scholars will gather at Yale University to discuss new legal scholarship on abundance and state capacity, while also exploring new opportunities to study unanswered questions. 

Members of the Law School community may email Nick Jacobson before Jan. 23, 2026 to register for the event, even if they have not pre-registered. 

For a full list of events and panels, please check the Tobin Center's event page. The conference is organized by Nick Bagley (Michigan) and Professor Zachary Liscow ’17.