Dan Traficonte Joins Northeastern Law as Associate Professor of Law and Public Policy

06.22.26 — Dan Traficonte, a leading expert in the law and political economy of innovation and technology development, will join the Northeastern University faculty effective July 1, 2026, as associate professor of law and public policy within the School of Law and the College of Social Sciences and Humanities.

“Dan brings a rare combination of rigorous political economy scholarship and deep expertise in technology, innovation and public policy. His work sits at the intersection of law and the forces shaping our economic future — exactly the kind of thinking Northeastern Law needs as we prepare the next generation of lawyers,” said Dean James Hackney.

Traficonte’s written work focuses on the role of government-led R&D programs and university research in shaping science and technology. He is currently developing, with collaborators at MIT, a long-term project focused on US-China technology rivalry and the development of artificial intelligence. His work has been published in the Yale Law Journal, Harvard Journal of Law and Technology, Cardozo Law Review and other journals.

Prior to joining the Northeastern faculty, Traficonte served as associate professor of law at Syracuse University College of Law, where he won the Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Teaching Recognition Award, a university-wide teaching award. He has taught property, patents and trade secrets, law and technology, and international technology law. He has also taught a study-abroad course in Seoul, South Korea, and several courses at Sciences Po in France.

Traficonte received his PhD in political economy from MIT, where he wrote his dissertation on the legal history and political economy of the federal research system and worked as a research associate on the Work of the Future Task Force. He received his JD from Harvard Law School and his BA in biological sciences from the University of Chicago.

“I am beyond thrilled to be joining two amazing departments at an institution that I’ve long admired for its commitment to experiential learning, interdisciplinary research, and social justice. As a native Bostonian, I also look forward to returning to my hometown and getting to know my new colleagues and students,” said Traficonte.