Policy development, the foundational work preceding the enactment of laws, corporate practices, and agency guidelines, often involves a deep interdisciplinary analysis of critical issues. This intricate process aims to sift through data, scrutinize pressing questions, and offer actionable insights. At the forefront of this endeavor is Stanford’s Law and Policy Lab, a decade-old initiative that combines the expertise of law students, faculty, and colleagues across Stanford’s diverse academic spectrum. Their collaborative research addresses complex policy conundrums and frequently informs decision-makers at various levels of government and institutions across the country.
One of the standout contributions of the Policy Lab is the 2020 report, Government by Algorithm: Artificial Intelligence in Federal Administrative Agencies. This report, spearheaded by David Freeman Engstrom and Dan Ho, explored AI implementation within federal agencies and has been pivotal in shaping ongoing regulatory conversations. The comprehensive study influenced an executive order from President Biden, addressing both AI regulation and its utilization within governmental operations.
Since its inception during the 2013-14 academic year, the Law and Policy Lab has conducted over 200 projects. The labs address varied topics, including wildfire smoke mitigation, tax code reform, copyright regulation, and election law. For example, just before the 2020 presidential election, research from a 2019 policy lab significantly influenced California’s new statewide vote-by-mail signature verification standards to ensure more consistent and fair treatment of mail-in ballots.
The collaborative nature of these labs extends beyond traditional legal scholarship. They combine insights from legal studies, computer science, engineering, and other fields, producing a robust, interdisciplinary approach to policy development. Students engage in real-world problems and clients, such as nonprofits, think tanks, and even federal agencies, an approach which fosters a practical understanding far removed from hypothetical classroom scenarios.
A shining example is a recent policy lab on environmental policy that influenced the Biden administration’s greenhouse gas measurement strategy. Another lab helped shape Facebook’s Oversight Board in 2020, showcasing the lab’s far-reaching influence on both public and private sectors.
As the Stanford Law and Policy Lab completes its first decade, its commitment to tackling pressing policy questions with a multidisciplinary bent stands out. Through these efforts, it continues to shape and steer policy discourse and development, preparing students to navigate and influence our complex, policy-driven world.
For more detailed insights, visit the Stanford Lawyer’s detailed coverage.