Richard Allen Epstein (born April 17, 1943) is a prominent American legal scholar and author. He is the Laurence A. Tisch Professor of Law at New York University School of Law and was previously the James Parker Hall Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago Law School. Epstein is renowned for his pioneering work in law and economics, constitutional law, property law, and tort law. A staunch advocate of classical liberalism, he champions limited government, individual freedom, and private property rights. His seminal work, 'Takings: Private Property and the Power of Eminent Domain,' profoundly influenced the interpretation of the Fifth Amendment's Takings Clause. Epstein's rigorous logic and interdisciplinary approach have made him one of the most influential legal thinkers of his time, though his views often spark debate.
