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Robert Chambers

Professor and Department Chair

B.Ed., LL.B. (Alberta), D.Phil. (Oxford)

Rob practised as a barrister and solicitor in Alberta before obtaining his DPhil from the University of Oxford under the supervision of Professor Peter Birks. He has been a senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne and a professor at the University of Alberta, King’s College London, and University College London.

Rob’s main research and teaching interests are property, restitution, trusts, and unjust enrichment. He is the author of Resulting Trusts (Oxford 1997), The Law of Property (Toronto 2021), and An Introduction to Property Law in Australia (5th edn, Sydney 2024), a co-author of Oosterhoff on Trusts (10th edn, Toronto 2024), and a member of the editorial boards for the Journal of Equity (Sydney) and Trust Law International (London).

Rob teaches Property and Trusts.

Publications

Authored Books

  1. An Introduction to Property Law in Australia (5th edn, Thompson Reuters, Sydney 2024), (4th edn, 2019), (3rd edn, 2013), (2nd edn, 2008), and (1st edn, 2001)
  2. The Law of Property (Irwin Law, Toronto 2021)
  3. Resulting Trusts (Clarendon Press, Oxford 1997)

Co-authored Books

  1. Oosterhoff on Trusts (10th edn, Thompson Reuters, Toronto 2024), (9th edn, 2019), (8th edn, 2014), and (7th edn, 2009) with Mitchell McInnes and AH Oosterhoff; (6th edn, 2004) with Mitchell McInnes, AH Oosterhoff, and Lionel Smith

Co-edited Books

  1. The Philosophical Foundations of the Law of Unjust Enrichment (Oxford University Press, Oxford 2009) with Charles Mitchell, James Penner
  2. The Law of Restitution in Canada: Cases, Notes, and Materials (Emond Montgomery, Toronto 2004) with Mitchell McInnes, Jason Neyers, Stephen Pitel, Lionel Smith

Chapters in Edited Collections

  1. ‘Trusts as Remedies’ in Evan Fox-Decent, John Goldberg, and Lionel Smith, Understanding Private Law: Essays in Honour of Stephen A Smith (Hart Publishing, forthcoming)
  2. ‘Trusts and the Statute of Frauds’ in Jason Neyers, Andrew Botterell, and Zoë Sinel, Gerald Fridman and the Law of Obligations: Past, Present and Future (LexisNexis 2019) 345-64
  3. ‘Proprietary Restitution and Change of Position’ in Andrew Dyson, James Goudkamp, and Frederick Wilmot-Smith, Defences in Unjust Enrichment (Hart Publishing, Oxford 2016) 115-31
  4. ‘Restitution of Overpaid Tax in Canada’ in Steven Elliott, Birke Häcker, and Charles Mitchell, Restitution of Overpaid Tax (Hart Publishing, Oxford 2013) 303-12
  5. ‘Is There a Presumption of Resulting Trust?’ in Charles Mitchell, Constructive and Resulting Trusts (Hart Publishing, Oxford 2010) 267-87
  6. ‘Trust and Theft’ in Elise Bant and Matthew Harding, Exploring Private Law (Cambridge University Press 2010) 223-45
  7. ‘Two Kinds of Enrichment’ in Robert Chambers, Charles Mitchell, and James Penner, The Philosophical Foundations of the Law of Unjust Enrichment (Oxford University Press 2009) 242-78
  8. ‘Ignorance’ in Simone Degeling and James Edelman, Unjust Enrichment in Commercial Law (Lawbook Co, Sydney 2008) 253-74, with James Penner
  9. ‘Resulting Trusts’ in Andrew Burrows and Lord Rodger, Mapping the Law: Essays in Memory of Peter Birks (Oxford University Press 2006) 247-64
  10. ‘The Importance of Specific Performance’ in Simone Degeling and James Edelman, Equity in Commercial Law (Lawbook Co, Sydney 2005) 431-62
  11. ‘Integrating Property and Obligations’ in Andrew Robertson, The Law of Obligations: Connections and Boundaries (UCL Press, London, 2004) 127-44
  12. ‘Restrictions on the Use of Money’ in William Swadling, The Quistclose Trust: Critical Essays (Hart Publishing, Oxford 2004) 77-120
  13. ‘Tracing and Unjust Enrichment’ in Jason Neyers, Mitchell McInnes, and Stephen Pitel, Understanding Unjust Enrichment (Hart Publishing, Oxford 2004) 263-309
  14. ‘Liability’ in Peter Birks and Arianna Pretto, Breach of Trust (Hart Publishing, Oxford, 2002) 1-40
  15. ‘Conditional Gifts’ in Norman Palmer and Ewan McKendrick, Interests in Goods (2nd edn, Lloyds of London Press, London, 1998) 429-60

Articles in Academic Journals

  1. 'Trusts and the Statute of Frauds' (2019) 93 Supreme Court Law Review (2d) 345-64 (also published as a chapter in an edited collection)
  2. ‘The Future of Unjust Enrichment in Common Law Canada’ [2017] Restitution Law Review 3-13
  3. ‘The End of Knowing Receipt’ (2016) 2 Canadian Journal of Comparative and Contemporary Law 1-32
  4. ‘Distrust: Our Fear of Trusts in the Commercial World’ (2010) 63 Current Legal Problems 631-52
  5. ‘Responsibility for the Disloyalty of Others’ (2000) 32 Hosei Riron Journal of Law and Politics 47-58
  6. ‘Resulting Trusts in Canada’ (2000) 38 Alberta Law Review 378-414; reprinted in (2002) 16 Trust Law International 104-22, 138-50
  7. ‘Constructive Trusts in Canada’ (1999) 37 Alberta Law Review 173-220; reprinted in (2001) 15 Trust Law International 214-32, (2002) 16 Trust Law International 2-20

Book Reviews and Review Essays

  1. Paolo Panico, International Trust Laws (2018) 33 Journal of International Banking Law and Regulation 255-57
  2. Simon Douglas, Robin Hickey, and Emma Waring, Landmark Cases in Property Law (2016) 75 Cambridge Law Journal 635-38
  3. PD Maddaugh and JD McCamus, The Law of Restitution, 2nd edn (2005) 20 Banking & Finance Law Review 479-87
  4. Peter Birks, Unjust Enrichment (2004) 42 Alberta Law Review 575-82
  5. John Mee, The Property Rights of Cohabitees (2002) 24 Dublin University Law Journal 312-22
  6. Sarah Worthington, Personal Property Law (2002) 16 Trust Law International 190-94
  7. Peter Birks and Francis Rose, Restitution and Equity: Resulting Trusts and Equitable Compensation (2001) 15 Trust Law International 2-12
  8. Sarah Worthington, Proprietary Interests in Commercial Transactions (1998) 18 Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 363-79
  9. John Glover, Commercial Equity: Fiduciary Relationships [1996] Restitution Law Review 253-60

Case Comments and Notes

  1. ‘The Presumption of Resulting Trust: Nishi v Rascal Trucking Ltd (2014) 51 Alberta Law Review 667-76
  2. ‘Constructive Trusts and Breach of Fiduciary Duty’ (2013) 77 Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 241-51
  3. ‘The Rule in Hastings-Bass (Deceased): Pitt v Holt’ (2011) 25 Trust Law International 1722
  4. ‘Canada’ (Regional Digest) [2009] Restitution Law Review 173-83
  5. ‘Canada’ (Regional Digest) [2008] Restitution Law Review 160-79
  6. ‘Canada’ (Regional Digest) [2007] Restitution Law Review 170-92
  7. ‘Knowing Receipt: Frozen in Australia’ (2007) 2 Journal of Equity 40-55
  8. ‘Canada’ (Regional Digest) [2006] Restitution Law Review 146-61
  9. ‘Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Group plc v IRC [2006] UKHL’ (2006) 6 Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal 227-35
  10. ‘Canada’ (Regional Digest) [2005] Restitution Law Review 142-63
  11. ‘The Consequences of Breach of Fiduciary Duty’ (2005) 16 King’s College Law Journal 186-94
  12. ‘Canada’ (Regional Digest) [2004] Restitution Law Review 182-205
  13. ‘Lohia v Lohia’ (2001) 15 Trust Law International 26-33
  14. ‘Indefeasible Title as a Bar to a Claim for Restitution’ [1998] Restitution Law Review 126-34
  15. ‘Tracing, Trusts and Liens’ (1997) 11 Trust Law International 86-92
  16. ‘Change of Position on the Faith of the Receipt’ [1996] Restitution Law Review 103-09
  17. ‘Restitution, Trusts and Compound Interest’ (1996) 20 Melbourne University Law Review 1192-1200
  18. ‘Restitution of Money Paid to Third Persons: Peel (RM) v The Queen’ (1993) 57 Saskatchewan Law Review 325-45
  19. ‘Priest-Penitent Privilege: R v Church of Scientology of Toronto and Zaharia’ (1989) 68 Canadian Bar Review 176-92, with Mitchell McInnes

Co-edited Journals

  1. (2015) 68 Current Legal Problems 1-464, with Piet Eeckhout, Virginia Mantouvalou
  2. (2014) 67 Current Legal Problems 1-502, with Jeff King, Virginia Mantouvalou
  3. (1999) 37 Alberta Law Review 1-270, with Mitchell McInnes

Other Publications

  1. Restitution Research Resource (2nd edn, Mansfield, Oxford 1997) with Peter Birks (1st edn, 1994) with Peter Birks

Conferences and Seminar Papers Presented

  1. Unjust Enrichment at 70 (2024) Wills, Estates & Trusts Law 2024, Kelowna, Canadian Bar Association BC Branch
  2. Trusts and the Statute of Frauds (2018) Western University; (2019) University of Melbourne
  3. The Future of Unjust Enrichment in Common Law Canada (2017) University College London
  4. The End of Knowing Receipt (2016) National University of Singapore
  5. Bribes and Restitution (2012) London School of Economics
  6. The End of Knowing Receipt? (2011) Higher Courts Judges Conference, Napier, New Zealand; University of Melbourne; University of Western Australia
  7. Distrust: Our Fear of Trusts in the Commercial World (2010) University College London
  8. Restitution of Overpaid Tax in Canada (2010) Merton College, Oxford
  9. Fraud Unravels All? (2009) Property Bar Association Annual Conference, London
  10. Is there a Presumption of Resulting Trust? (2009) King’s College London
  11. Ignorance (with JE Penner) (2007) University of New South Wales
  12. The Importance of Specific Performance (2004) University of New South Wales
  13. Tracing and Unjust Enrichment (2003) University of Western Ontario
  14. Another Chapter on Quistclose Trusts (2002) All Souls College, Oxford
  15. Integrating Property and Obligations (2002) University of Melbourne
  16. Responsibility for the Disloyalty of Others (1999) Niigata University
  17. Resulting Trusts in Canada (1999) McGill University

Curriculum Vitae

Click here to download Robert Chambers' Curriculum Vitae

Robert Chambers

Contact

Email:
rchambers@tru.ca