Megan Pfiffer
Education
BCL, University of Oxford (with distinction)
JD, Queen's University
BA (Hons), Queen's University
Overview
Megan Pfiffer is a doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Law with research interests in public law, and legal, political, and moral philosophy. She is also the managing editor of the University of Toronto Law Journal, and a co-editor of the third edition of Edward Elgar's Comparative Administrative Law. During the 2024-2025 school year, Megan is a Visiting Doctoral Researcher at New York University's School of Law, affiliated with the Center for Law and Philosophy. Her thesis explores the idea of justification in administrative law and will reframe contemporary debates on substantive review. Megan received her JD from Queen's University where she was awarded the Silver Medal in Law for achieving the second highest academic standing in her graduating class, as well as the Dean's Key Award for best embodying the signature values of Queen's Law. She then articled at a leading Toronto litigation firm and clerked for Justice Rosalie Abella at the Supreme Court of Canada. Prior to joining the Faculty of Law, Megan completed the BCL at the University of Oxford with distinction, earning the Onora O'Neill Prize in Philosophy, Law and Politics.
Areas of Interest
- Administrative Law
- Comparative Law
- Constitutional Law & Theory
- Legal Theory
- Philosophical Approaches to Law
Selected Publications
Megan Pfiffer, "The (A)symmetry in the Law of Judicial Review" (2025) 63:1 Alberta Law Review.
Megan Pfiffer, "Administrative Law as a Source of Rights" (2025) Modern Law Review.
Megan Pfiffer, "What's the Problem with Substantive Review?" (2024) 69:3 McGill Law Journal.
Megan Pfiffer & David Dyzenhaus, "Legality's Place in a Changing World" in Cossman et al. (eds) Law in a Changing World: The Climate Crisis (Toronto, University of Toronto Press: 2025) (forthcoming).
Professional Affiliations
Honours and Awards
SSHRC Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement (2024-2025)
SSHRC Canada Graduate Scholarship - Doctoral (CGS-D)
University of Toronto Centre for Ethics - Doctoral Fellowship (2022-2023)
Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2022-2023)
The Mary And Louis Anisman Fellowship In Law And Fairness (2022-2023)
Onora O'Neill Prize in Philosophy, Law and Politics (2022)
Faculty of Law and Brasenose College Scholarship for the BCL (2021)
Medal in Law – Second Highest Standing (2019)
Dean's Key Award (2019)
Denis Marshall Contribution Award (2019)
Chief Justice McRuer Essay Prize in Constitutional Law (2019)
Christopher Riggs Administrative Law Scholarship (2019)
Queen’s Law Prize in Administrative Law (2019)
Queen’s Law Prize in Legal and Political Philosophy (2019)
Dean's Gold Scholar Award (2018)
Chief Justice McRuer Essay Prize in Constitutional Law (2018)
Queen’s Law Prize in Law and Poverty (2018)
Dean’s Silver Scholar Award (2017)
Aird & Berlis LLP Student Award for Overall Academic Achievement (2017)
R.W. Leonard Scholarship in Law (2017)
McCarthy Tétrault LLP Scholarship (2017)
David Sabbath Scholarship (2017)
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin Prize in Torts (2017)
Queen’s Law Prize in Constitutional Law (2017)
Queen’s University Entrance Scholarship in Law (2016)