The committee met for the first time in 1974, beginning its work to address long-term policy issues at the intersection of science, engineering, and law and to “assess the problems scientists and lawyers have encountered in working with each other on a professional basis in preparing for litigation and in providing expert testimony.” The NCLS realized the vision of its inaugural co-chairs, former Congressman Emilio Q. Daddario and attorney Harold Horvitz, by establishing an ongoing dialogue on differing professional approaches to examining facts, truth, and admissible evidence.
Over the past 50 years, the committee’s objectives have included promoting a better understanding of science among legal professionals, improving communication between the legal and scientific communities, monitoring emerging public policy issues, and recommending policy alternatives. The NCLS has been at the forefront of influential conversations such as the admissibility of scientific and technical evidence and expertise in the courts, the societal risks and benefits of artificial intelligence, the use of neuroscience in understanding human behavior and culpability, and concerns surrounding personalized medicine and genetic enhancements, mobile health, and data privacy.
With science and engineering continuing to advance at an exponential rate, and the legal landscape undergoing a rapid evolution in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn 40 years of Chevron deference in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, it is clear that the work of the NCLS is more vital than ever.
