Economists Unscripted

In this debut episode of Economists Unscripted, host Mustafa Zeshan sits down with Dr. Rob Maness—Senior Managing Director at Coherent Economics and Associate Professor of Practice at Texas A&M University.

Dr. Maness shares insights from his journey bridging academia and real-world applications. From serving as an expert witness in high-stakes antitrust and patent litigation to advising the World Bank on Kuwait's competition laws, he breaks down what it takes to thrive in the economic consulting industry. Throughout the conversation, they discuss what expert witness work looks like day-to-day, the transition from academic teaching to explaining complex economics to a jury, and why skills like data science, precision, and healthy paranoia are vital in adversarial legal settings. Dr. Maness also offers practical advice for graduate students considering non-academic career paths, emphasizing the power of creativity, master-level communication, and strong work ethic.

Whether you are an economics student, a professional exploring consulting, or simply curious about the intersection of law and economics, this episode provides valuable lessons for every stage of your career.