Visiting Doctoral Fellow, 2009-10

J.S.D. Candidate, Yale Law School, supported by SSHRC.

Chris’ doctoral research explores the concept of obligation, legal and otherwise, in terms of practical reason and the notion of a reason for action. When we have an obligation to do something, it is wrong for us not to do so. This is the case even where it seems as though we might have good reason for acting in some other way. Chris argues that we can understand obligations by way of thinking about the notion of a normative point of view on the reasons that we have. Conceiving of obligations in these terms helps us to understand the notion of obligation and its role in our practical deliberations and provides unique insights into some notoriously difficult problems in the private law of torts, property, and contract.

Chris holds an LL.M. degree from Yale University, and a J.D. degree from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, where he was Silver Medalist. In 2006-2007, he served as law clerk to Justice Michel Bastarache of the Supreme Court of Canada. He is co-author of The Law of Bilingual Interpretation (2008) and his work has been published in the Canadian Journal of Law and Jurisprudence.