What is law? How do we conceptualize the nature and operation of law?
What is law's relation to society, economy and culture and how does it figure in social transformation?
What purposes are legal institutions designed to serve? Where, and why, are the roles and powers of judges matters of contestation?
These are just a few of the questions that legal theory addresses. Legal, moral and political philosophy has greatly influenced how we think about law, as have a range of other interdisciplinary approaches, from economics to political and social theory.
Our scholars think about law from a range of theoretical perspectives, including law and philosophy, law and economics, feminism and law, critical legal theory and Indigenous legal traditions.
Courses
Students are introduced to a multiplicity of theoretical approaches to law across the curriculum, and may also elect to courses that specifically address the foundations of legal theory, law and justice, and private law theory.
We also host a series of workshops including Legal Theory, Law and Economics and Critical Analysis of Law that bring leading scholars to U of T to share their cutting-edge scholarship.
Affiliation:Jackman LawApr 2, 2025David Dyzenhaus receives honorary doctorate from University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Faculty
Role: Professor
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Role: Professor Emeritus
Role: Dean, University Professor & James M. Tory Professor of Law
Role: Professor Emeritus
Role: Associate Dean, Graduate Programs; Professor
Role: Associate Dean, Research; Professor
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Role: Professor
Role: Professor
Role: University Professor
Role: Professor
Role: Professor
Role: Professor
Role: Professor
Role: Professor Emeritus
Role: Professor Emerita
Role: University Professor
Role: Professor
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Role: Assistant Professor
Role: Associate Dean, JD program; Associate Professor
Role: Professor
Role: Professor
Role: Professor and Chair in Law and Innovation
Role: Assistant Professor