Joel Bakan

Joel Bakan, born in Lansing, Michigan in nineteen fifty-nine, is a distinguished American-Canadian lawyer, writer, and film director. He spent his formative years in East Lansing, where his parents, both esteemed psychology professors at Michigan State University, nurtured his academic interests. In nineteen seventy-one, the family relocated to Vancouver, British Columbia, where Bakan would later embark on an impressive educational journey.

His academic credentials include a Bachelor of Arts from Simon Fraser University, a Bachelor of Arts in Law from the University of Oxford, a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University, and a Master of Laws from Harvard University. In nineteen eighty-five, he served as a law clerk to Chief Justice Brian Dickson, contributing to significant judgments, including R v Oakes. Following his clerkship, Bakan pursued further studies at Harvard Law School, solidifying his expertise in the legal field.

Upon returning to Canada, Bakan began his teaching career at Osgoode Hall Law School of York University before joining the University of British Columbia Faculty of Law in nineteen ninety. As an associate professor, he teaches a variety of subjects, including constitutional law, contracts, and socio-legal courses. His dedication to education has earned him the Faculty of Law's Teaching Excellence Award on two occasions, as well as a UBC Killam Research Prize, highlighting his commitment to both teaching and research.