What International Center for Law and Economics does

The International Center for Law and Economics (ICLE) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research center founded in 2009 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon. The organization produces law & economics scholarship to inform public policy debates, operating across six research programs: Antitrust & Consumer Protection, Data Security & Privacy, Financial Regulation & Corporate Governance, Innovation & the New Economy, Intellectual Property & Licensing, and Telecommunications & Regulated Utilities. Its primary audiences are policymakers and regulatory agencies (including the FCC, DOJ, FTC, U.S. Congress, and the European Commission), the academic and research community, and industry stakeholders affected by regulation.

ICLE's core methodology applies an error-cost analytical framework — grounded in decision theory and empirical evidence — to evaluate the social costs and benefits of proposed regulatory interventions, with particular attention to how institutions shape the appropriateness and effectiveness of enforcement. Outputs include white papers, regulatory comments, congressional testimony, academic publications, and topical spotlights. The organization draws on a network of over 185 Global Academic Affiliates and runs the Next Generation Scholars Program to cultivate emerging talent. Research is distributed freely through the ICLE website, two newsletters (Competition and Innovation), co-publishing on the Truth on the Market blog, and earned media in trade publications.

As a 501(c)-style nonprofit with 11-50 employees, ICLE is funded through donations (visible PayPal donation link) and grants rather than commercial revenue. It has no conventional product, pricing model, or paying customers; its 'distribution' is its influence on regulatory and judicial proceedings. The organization maintains a global research footprint spanning the United States, Europe, Asia, and the United Kingdom, and has recently deepened engagement in satellite spectrum policy, AI regulation, and international competition law.

Name

International Center for Law and Economics

Legal name

International Center for Law & Economics

Website

https://laweconcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The International Center for Law and Economics (ICLE) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research center founded in 2009 that produces law & economics scholarship — including regulatory comments, congressional testimony, and white papers — to inform public policy debates for policymakers, regulatory agencies, academics, and industry stakeholders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ICLE is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research center that produces and disseminates law-and-economics scholarship to inform public policy debates. It operates six research programs covering antitrust, data security and privacy, financial regulation, innovation policy, intellectual property, and telecommunications, delivering outputs such as white papers, regulatory comments, congressional testimony, and academic publications. It also runs the Next Generation Scholars Program to develop emerging law-and-economics scholars.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Antitrust & Consumer Protection Research Program A standing research program at ICLE producing white papers, regulatory comments, and analysis on antitrust and consumer protection policy for policymakers, regulators, and academics.
• Data Security & Privacy Research Program A standing research program at ICLE producing white papers, regulatory comments, and analysis on data security and privacy regulation for policymakers, regulators, and academics.
• Financial Regulation & Corporate Governance Research Program A standing research program at ICLE producing white papers, regulatory comments, and analysis on financial regulation and corporate governance for policymakers, regulators, and academics.
• Innovation & the New Economy Research Program A standing research program at ICLE producing white papers, regulatory comments, and analysis on innovation policy and the new economy for policymakers, regulators, and academics.
• Intellectual Property & Licensing Research Program A standing research program at ICLE producing white papers, regulatory comments, and analysis on intellectual property and licensing policy for policymakers, regulators, and academics.
• Telecommunications & Regulated Utilities Research Program A standing research program at ICLE producing white papers, regulatory comments, and analysis on telecommunications and regulated utilities for policymakers, regulators, and academics.
• Next Generation Scholars Program An ICLE program that supports and fosters the development of new law-and-economics scholars by identifying and promoting promising young scholars and helping them engage with the larger intellectual tradition and community of law-and-economics scholarship.

Quantifiable outcome

• State laws requiring automakers to sell through franchised dealerships add between $3,934 and $4,992 to new car transaction prices based on $50,000 average prices
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• New America FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Jointly convened LEO Policy Working Group, culminating in collaborative report on U.S. priorities for the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference. Both organizations contribute expertise on satellite spectrum policy and international regulatory frameworks.
• Truth on the MarketcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-publishing platform for ICLE analysis and scholarship. ICLE scholars publish articles and commentary through the Truth on the Market blog, extending reach to policy and academic audiences.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• New America Foundation: ICLE's actual partner on the LEO satellite policy working group. Comparable as a policy research organization, though broader and more centrist, and overlapping on telecom and technology regulation topics.
• Brookings Institution: One of the largest U.S. think tanks producing rigorous policy research across economics, law, and regulation. Directly comparable to ICLE in mission (evidence-based policy analysis) though much larger in scale and broader in scope.
• R Street Institute: Centrist think tank covering technology, financial regulation, and telecom with rigorous research output. Comparable in size and mission, and overlaps with ICLE on insurance, IP, and digital policy issues.
• Competitive Enterprise Institute: Free-market advocacy organization focused heavily on technology regulation, antitrust, and telecom policy — directly overlapping ICLE's research programs on net neutrality, digital competition, and consumer protection.
• Mercatus Center: George Mason University-affiliated market-oriented research center focusing on regulatory policy and economic analysis. Shares ICLE's academic-affiliate network structure and produces overlapping work on financial regulation and telecom.
• American Enterprise Institute: Centrist-to-conservative think tank producing economic and legal policy research with strong regulatory focus. Shares ICLE's pro-market orientation and academic affiliate model, and competes for similar policymaker attention on antitrust and telecom issues.
• George Mason University Law & Economics Center: Academic center at GMU producing law & economics scholarship with a strong judicial-education focus. Shares ICLE's methodological orientation and overlaps on antitrust, IP, and regulatory analysis.
• Cato Institute: Libertarian think tank publishing policy research on regulation, antitrust, and technology. Closely aligned with ICLE's free-market analytical framework and produces overlapping commentary on net neutrality and digital competition.
• Information Technology and Innovation Foundation: D.C.-based think tank focused specifically on technology and innovation policy. Direct overlap with ICLE's Innovation & the New Economy and Telecommunications research programs, and comparable scale and methodology.

Broad incumbents

• Heritage Foundation: Large, well-funded conservative think tank covering a wide range of policy areas including regulation, antitrust, and telecom. Less specialized than ICLE in law & economics methodology but competes for similar policymaker influence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/laweconcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/393119

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Center for Law and Economics