William S. Laufer

William S. Laufer is the Julian Aresty Endowed Professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, holding appointments in Legal Studies & Business Ethics, Sociology, and Criminology. He co-directs the Carol and Lawrence Zicklin Center for Governance & Business Ethics and has served as its director (2000-2010, 2013-2022). His career spans 35+ years at Wharton and leadership roles in global institutions including the World Bank, UN Global Compact, and World Economic Forum.

• PhD, Rutgers University
• JD, Northeastern University School of Law
• BA, The Johns Hopkins University

His research bridges corporate ethics, criminal law, and criminology. Key areas include corporate moral agency, justice remainders in criminal systems, and progressive reforms to corporate criminal law. He emphasizes the intersection of law with psychology, systemic inequalities, and global regulatory frameworks.

Recent publications focus on corporate personhood, criminal justice gaps, and progressive legal reforms. His work has been featured in top journals like American Criminal Law Review and Annual Review of Law and Social Sciences, with themes spanning corporate accountability, victim recognition, and ethical governance.

• National White-Collar Crime Research Consortium Outstanding Book Award (2010)
• Multiple teaching awards at Wharton (1990–2022), including the David W. Hauck Award and Miller-Sherrerd MBA Core Teaching Award

Laufer serves as Regional Secretary General for the International Society of Social Defense and on the Board of the Center for Political Accountability. He has advised the UN Development Programme, provided expertise to the World Bank, and contributed to global debates on corporate ethics and criminal justice reform.