51852aca_y_and_Natural_Resources_Center__Course_Description
[0] Fall 2013 [Course] 6359 Regulated Industries [Credit] 3 [Course Area] Energy, Natural Resources and Environmental Law Business and Commercial Law [Course Description] 
The Antitrust and Regulated Industries courses examine two different legal approaches for controlling private economic power--the antitrust laws, which are designed to establish and maintain competitive markets, and regulatory statutes, which establish government agencies to supervise entry, rates, and service. These two approaches are examined in a way that focuses on the theoretical and practical difficulties of each approach. The Regulated Industries course focuses on the regulation and deregulation of transportation (surface and air), communications (long distance telephone and cable), and "natural monopolies" (local telephone and electric power). Discussion topics include the question of when it is appropriate to regulate entry and rates, rather than leaving these business decisions to market control. Of particular concern will be the differences between the theoretical arguments in favor of deregulation in these industries and the actual experience with deregulation. There are no prerequisites for either course. Both courses use materials that are the foundation of casebooks in revision, namely Free Enterprise and Economic Organization: Antitrust and Free Enterprise and Economic Organization: Government (De)Regulation by Flynn, First, and Bush.
University of Houston Law Center - Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Center
Course Description