Peter Hogg is the Scholar in Residence of the Firm, a unique position to Blakes. Peter is professor emeritus at the Osgoode Hall Law School of York University. As Scholar in Residence, he continues to do academic work, both writing and teaching, but he also provides counsel to the Firm in his areas of expertise, especially constitutional law, governmental liability and the law of trusts. He also assists the Firm in its continuing legal education and student recruitment activities.

Peter is the leading constitutional law scholar in Canada. He is the author of the only comprehensive treatise, namely, Constitutional Law of Canada (Carswell, 5th ed., 2007), which is now published in loose-leaf (as well as bound) format, and is updated annually by Peter. He is also the author of Liability of the Crown (Carswell, 3rd ed., 2000, with Patrick J. Monahan). These are the two most important publications, but he has also written several other books and many law journal articles on constitutional law, governmental liability and trusts.

Peter's writings have been frequently cited by the Supreme Court of Canada. Indeed, a study of the Supreme Court's citations that was published in the Dalhousie Law Journal in 1993 found that Peter's writings had been cited more than twice as frequently as any other single source. Since that study was published, the frequency of citation has continued.

Peter was recognized in Canadian Lawyer magazine (August 2010 ) as one of Canada's top 25 most influential lawyers of 2010.

Educated at the University of New Zealand and Harvard Law School, Peter practised briefly in New Zealand, and taught in New Zealand and Australia. He came to Canada in 1970, when he became a professor at Osgoode Hall Law School. He served as dean of the Law School from 1998-2003. His connection with Blakes started in 1990, when he spent two years as Scholar in Residence while he prepared a new edition of his constitutional law treatise. In 1992, he returned to the Law School, but retained an informal affiliation with the Firm and, in 1997-1998, he spent another year as Scholar in Residence at the Firm. He severed his connection with the Firm from 1998-2003 in order to serve as dean of the Law School for a five-year term, which ended in 2003, when he returned to Blakes as the Scholar in Residence.

Since his call to the Ontario Bar in 1973, Peter has combined with his academic work counsel work, opinion work, and expert testimony in constitutional law, governmental liability and trusts. This has included giving advice to the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, other provincial governments, legislative committees, various public bodies, aboriginal organizations and private law firms. He has appeared as counsel in a number of constitutional cases, including 13 cases in the Supreme Court of Canada.

Honours/Awards

Peter has received the following honours and awards:

• Honorary Doctorate of Laws, Victoria University of Wellington, 2006
• Honorary Doctorate of Laws, York University, 2006
• Honorary Doctorate of Laws, Université de Montréal, 2005
• Companion of the Order of Canada (highest level of the Order), 2003
• Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Law, Canadian Bar Association, 2003
• Honorary Doctorate of Laws, The Law Society of Upper Canada, 2003
• Teaching Excellence Award, Osgoode Hall Law School, 1996
• Law Society Medal, The Law Society of Upper Canada, 1996
• Mundell Medal for Letters and Law, Attorney General of Ontario, 1993
• Award for Legal Research and Law Reform, Canadian Association of Law Teachers and Law Reform Commission of Canada, 1992
• Officer of the Order of Canada, 1991

Professional Achievements

Over the course of his career, Peter has been appointed to or held the following positions:

• Fellow, Royal Society of Canada, 1988
• University Professor, York University, 1986
• Queen's Counsel, Ontario, 1980