Paul Babie

Professor Paul Babie

Bonython Chair in Law

Adelaide Law School

Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.


P T Babie FRSA FAAL
Bonython Chair in Law and Professor of Law
________________________________________

P T Babie is an expert in property theory, property law, the history of real property law, and law and theology. His research, throughout his career, has asked what property is and how, if at all, it can be justified. He considers those questions from legal theoretical and from theological perspectives. His approach to property theory involves the exploration of its spatial dimension. He teaches property law, property theory, law and religion, and Roman law.

Babie joined the Adelaide Law School in 1999, was promoted to a Personal Chair in Law in 2015, and was named the holder of the Bonython Chair in Law in 2021. Established in 1883 and endowed in 1926 by a gift of Sir John Langdon Bonython KCMG, the Bonython Chair in Law is the first endowed chair of law of The University of Adelaide. Babie is its fourteenth holder in the 141-year history of the Adelaide Law School.

Babie is currently Associate Dean of Law (International Development) and Director of the Research Unit for the Study of Society, Ethics, and Law, and has previously been Associate Dean of Law (Research) and Associate Dean of Law (Learning and Teaching). He was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law in 2017 and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2021. He received the 2021 Australian Legal Education Awards (ALEA) Excellence in Research Supervision Award, a 2011 Executive Dean’s Prize for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, the 2007 Adelaide Law School Excellence in Teaching Prize, 2015 and 2016 Executive Dean’s Awards for Excellence in Research, and 2014 and 2017 Executive Dean’s Commendations for Excellence in Research.

Babie holds a BA in sociology and political science from the University of Calgary, a BThSt from Flinders University, a LLB from the University of Alberta, a LLM from the University of Melbourne, writing a thesis on the transferability of water entitlements supervised by S D Clark, and a DPhil in law from St Catherine's College, the University of Oxford, completing a thesis on the nature of the Crown (state) interest in Australian land supervised by J W Harris, D J Ibbetson, and J D Davies. At Oxford, he was a Viscount Bennett, a Canadian Centennial, and a Landau Scholar. Following law school he was an Associate with Howard, Mackie (now Borden Ladner Gervais (BLG)) in Calgary, Canada, specialising in securities and natural resources law. Prior to his appointment to the Adelaide Law School, he was Lecturer in Law at St Catherine's and Balliol Colleges, University of Oxford, and the Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne. He is a Barrister and Solicitor (Active Non-Practising) of the Court of King's Bench of Alberta (Canada), and an Associate Member of the Law Society of South Australia (of which he is a Member of the Property Law Committee). He has been a Visiting Professor at Sciences Po École de droit, SOAS School of Law University of London, Faculty of Law University of Oslo, Peter A. Allard School of Law University of British Columbia, University of Alberta Faculty of Law, University of Calgary Faculty of Law, and University of Windsor Faculty of Law. He is an Adjunct Professor of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law (where he teaches Australian Law and the Constitution) and of the Australian Catholic University Thomas More Law School. He is frequently consulted on issues relating to real property law, law and religion (especially in relation to the Australian Constitution), and canon law.

Babie is a co-author of Bradbrook, McCallum, and Moore's Australian Real Property Law (Lawbook Co, Thomson Reuters) and Bradbrook, McCallum, and Moore's Australian Property Law: Cases and Materials (Lawbook Co, Thomson Reuters), Australia's leading property law resources; co-author of Torrens System in NSW (Thomson Reuters); Title Editor of The Laws of Australia (Thomson Reuters), Title 28, Real Property; General Editor of the Australian Property Law Journal (LexisNexis); Property Section Contributing Editor of JOTWELL (The Journal of Things We Like (Lots)); former Editor in Chief and South Australia Editor of the Property Law Review (Thomson Reuters); Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Law and Religion (Cambridge University Press), the Routledge Research Series in Law and Religion, the Springer Research Series in Law and Religion, and of the Forum on Religion & Ecology (FORE) @ Australia (affiliated with FORE, Yale University (USA). His work has appeared in leading American and Canadian law reviews (including the Alberta Law Review, North Carolina Law Review, Emory Law Journal Online, UC Davis Law Review Online, Brigham Young University Law Review, Tulane Law Review, San Diego Law Review, Michigan State Law Review, Missouri Law Review, Penn State (PennStatim) Law Review, the University of Hawai'i Law Review, the Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law, the Fordham International Law Journal, and the Journal of Law and Religion) and in leading Australian law reviews (including the Melbourne University Law Review, the Sydney Law Review, the Federal Law Review, the Monash University Law Review, the UNSW Law Journal, The University of Queensland Law Journal, the Adelaide Law Review, and the University of Western Australia Law Review).

Appointments
Bonython Chair in Law, The University of Adelaide, Australia (2021-present)
Personal Chair in Law, Adelaide Law School, Australia (2015-present)
Associate Professor and Reader in Law, Adelaide Law School, Australia (2012-2014)
Senior Lecturer in Law, Adelaide Law School, Australia (2008-2011)
Lecturer in Law, Adelaide Law School, Australia (1999-2007)
Lecturer in Law, Balliol College, University of Oxford, UK (1999)
Lecturer in Law, St Catherine's College, University of Oxford, UK (1996-1999)
Lecturer in Law, Melbourne Law School, Australia (1995)
Visiting Fellow in Law, Melbourne Law School, Australia (1994)
Associate, Howard, Mackie (now BLG (Borden Ladner Gervais LLP)), Canada (1993-1994)
Student-at-Law, Howard, Mackie (now BLG (Borden Ladner Gervais LLP)), Canada (1992-1993)

University Service
Associate Dean of Law (International Development), Adelaide Law School (2017-2019, 2021-present)
Director, The University of Adelaide Research Unit for the Study of Society, Ethics and Law (RUSSEL) (2021-present)
Associate Dean (Learning & Teaching), Adelaide Law School, The University of Adelaide (2021)
Associate Dean (International), Faculty of the Professions, The University of Adelaide (2017-2019)
Director, Law and Religion Research Project, The University of Adelaide Research Unit for the Study of Society, Ethics and Law (RUSSEL) (2017-present)
Associate Dean (Research), Faculty of the Professions, The University of Adelaide (2011-2017)
Associate Dean of Law (Research), Adelaide Law School (2007-2011, 2012-2017)
Director and Founder, The University of Adelaide Research Unit for the Study of Society, Law and Religion (RUSSLR) (2007-2017)

Memberships
Royal Society of Arts, Fellow (by election) (2021-present)
Australian Academy of Law, Fellow (by election) (2017-present)
National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), Member 1999-present

Research Awards
Executive Dean of The University of Adelaide Faculty of the Professions Award for Excellence in Research (2016)
Executive Dean of The University of Adelaide Faculty of the Professions Award for Excellence in Research (2015)
Executive Dean of The University of Adelaide Faculty of the Professions Commendation for Excellence in Research (2014)

Teaching Awards
Council of Australian Law Deans (CALD) and Legal Education Associate Deans (LEAD) Network, Australian Legal Education Awards (ALEA), Excellence in Research Supervision (2021)
Executive Dean of The University of Adelaide Faculty of the Professions Prize for Excellence in Teaching (2011)
Adelaide Law School Prize for Excellence in Teaching (2007)

Research Interests

  • Private Law Theory
    • property theory
    • comparative private law theory
    • consequences of globalisation, especially finance and anthropogenic climate change
  • Legal Theory
    • liberalism
  • Religious Legal Systems
    • Byzantine law
    • Eastern Catholic canon law
  • Baseball
    • keeping the book
  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2021 - ongoing Associate Dean of Law (International) Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide
    2021 - ongoing Bonython Chair in Law The University of Adelaide
    2020 - 2021 Associate Dean of Law (Learning & Teaching) Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide
    2017 - 2019 Associate Dean (International) Faculty of the Professions, University of Adelaide
    2017 - 2019 Associate Dean of Law (International) Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide
    2015 - ongoing Personal Chair in Law Adelaide Law School
    2012 - 2014 Associate Professor and Reader in Law Adelaide Law School
    2011 - 2017 Associate Dean (Research) University of Adelaide
    2008 - 2011 Senior Lecturer in Law Adelaide Law School
    2007 - 2017 Associate Dean of Law (Research) University of Adelaide
    1999 - 2007 Lecturer in Law Adelaide Law School
    1999 - 1999 Lecturer in Law Balliol College, University of Oxford
    1996 - 1999 Lecturer in Law St Catherine's College, University of Oxford
    1995 - 1995 Lecturer in Law Melbourne Law School
    1994 - 1994 Visiting Fellow in Law Melbourne Law School
    1993 - 1994 Associate Howard, Mackie (now BLG (Borden Ladner Gervais LLP))
    1992 - 1993 Student-at-Law Howard, Mackie (now BLG (Borden Ladner Gervais LLP))
  • Awards and Achievements

    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2021 Fellowship Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, or, Royal Society of Arts (RSA) United Kingdom -
    2021 Teaching Award Council of Australian Law Deans (CALD) and Legal Education Associate Deans (LEAD) Network, Australian Legal Education Awards (ALEA), Excellence in Research Supervision (2021) Council of Australian Law Deans (CALD) and Legal Education Associate Deans (LEAD) Network Australia -
    2017 Fellowship Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law Australian Academy of Law Australia -
    2016 Award Executive Dean, Faculty of the Professions Award for Excellence in Research The University of Adelaide - -
    2015 Research Award Executive Dean, Faculty of the Professions Award for Excellence in Research The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2014 Research Award Executive Dean, Faculty of the Professions Commendation for Excellence in Research The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2011 Teaching Award Executive Dean, Faculty of the Professions Prize for Excellence in Teaching The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2007 Teaching Award Adelaide Law School Prize for Excellence in Teaching The University of Adelaide Australia -
  • Language Competencies

    Language Competency
    English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
    French Can read
    Ukrainian Can read
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    University of Oxford United Kingdom DPhil (2002)
    University of Melbourne Australia LLM (1995)
    University of Alberta Canada LLB (1992)
    Flinders University Australia BThSt (2006)
    University of Calgary Canada BA (Sociology and Political Science) (1989)
  • Certifications

    Date Title Institution name Country
    2022 Barrister and Solicitor (Active Non-practising) Court of King's Bench of Alberta, Canada -
    1993 Barrister & Solicitor (Active Non-practising) Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta, Canada -
    Associate Member; Member, Property Law Committee Law Society of South Australia -

Grants

  • Law Foundation of South Australia Grant 2022-2024, $30,000 for 'Modernising the Real Property Act 1886 (SA)'
  • University of Adelaide, Faculty of the Professions and Adelaide Law School, Combined Cat 1 and Momentum Fund Grants 2013-2015, $20,000 for 'Psychology of Property' Pilot and ARC DP Projects
  • University of Adelaide, Interdisciplinary Research Fund 2013-2014, $20,000 for ‘Crime Prevention through Environmental Design in South Australia (Veronica Soebarto, Paul Babie, Jennifer Bonham and Susan Oakley)
  • University of Adelaide, Faculty of the Professions and Adelaide Law School, Overseas Conference Scheme Grant 2010, $4,750 to present ‘Current Developments in Australian Real Property Law’, American Bar Association Real Property, Trust & Estates Annual Symposium 2010, Philadelphia, USA, 8 May 2010 (invited); ‘Can Climate Change Alter Private Property?’, University of Oslo, Faculty of Law, Property and Natural Resources Law Institute, Norway, Natural Resources and Property Workshop, 5 May 2010 (invited); and ‘Three Reflections on Climate Change and Private Property: ‘Idea’, ‘Sovereignty’, and ‘Eco-colonialism’’, University of Oslo, Faculty of Law, Norway, Faculty Seminar, 4 May 2010
  • University of Adelaide, Law School, Small Research Grant 2008, $2,500 to hold Law and Religion Roundtable Workshop to be published in the Adelaide Law Review 
  • University of Adelaide, Faculty of Professions, Matching Seed Funding Grant 2007, $4,500 seed funding to match Law School Small Research Grants for the purposes of establishing and making an ARC Grant Application in relation to the Faulty of Professions Research Unit for the Study of Society, Law and Religion
  • University of Adelaide, Law School, Small Research Grant 2007, $2,500 seed funding ($1000 grant and 40 hours of research assistance) for the purposes of making an Australian Research Council Grant application to establish the University of Adelaide, Faculty of Professions Research Unit for the Study of Society, Law and Religion 
  • University of Adelaide, Law School, Small Research Grant 2007, $1,550 seed funding for the purposes of making an Australian Research Council Grant application to establish the University of Adelaide, Faculty of Professions Research Unit for the Study of Society, Law and Religion 
  • University of Adelaide, Law School, Small Research Grant 2007, $2000 for 'Choices of Faith: how private property and the Abrahamic religions can work together for the good of the environment' 
  • University of Adelaide, Law School, Small Research Grant 2006, $2000 for 'Choices of Faith: how private property and the Abrahamic religions can work together for the good of the environment' 
  • University of Adelaide, Law School, Small URG Grant 2000, $2000 for 'Homelessness in Darwin' 
  • University of Adelaide, Law School, Small URG Grant 1999, $2000 for 'Homelessness in Darwin'

Teaching Interests

  • Property Law (LLB/MCL)
  • Property Theory (LLB/MCL)
  • Law and Religion (LLB/MCL)
  • Roman Law (LLB/MCL)
  • Adelaide Law Review (LLB)
  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2023 Co-Supervisor What are the Causes Precluding India’s Compliance with the Due Diligence Obligation to the Women’s Convention? Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Shritha Kapisthalam Vasudevan
    2023 Principal Supervisor Property Law Aspects of Digital Assets Master of Philosophy Master Part Time Mr Federico M Pucci
    2022 Principal Supervisor Reconceptualising ideas of the ‘secular’ and ‘religion’ in the law, public policy, and political discourse governing Australian education. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Andrew Philip Long
    2021 Principal Supervisor A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE CODE OF PARTICULAR CANONS OF THE SYR MALANKARA CATHOLIC CHURCH: AN EXAMINATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS CONCERNING COLLABORATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Fr Stephen Kulathumkarott
    2020 Principal Supervisor Jurisprudence as a Guide for Occupiers' Standards of Care for Reasonably Foreseeable Security Incidents Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Dan Maxim Levinson
    2018 Principal Supervisor How Law Can be Used to Shape Urban Environments That Both Feel Safe and are Safe from Weaponised Vehicles Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Andrew John Raymond Hawking
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2020 - 2023 Principal Supervisor Building Bridges: Domestic Violence, Culture, Religion, and the Law Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Mary Manickam
    2018 - 2022 Principal Supervisor Human Dignity and Constitutional Spatial Theory: Towards an Australian Framework for the Resolution of Conflicts in Equality Rights and Religious Liberties Claims Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time APrf Neville Grant Rochow
    2018 - 2023 Principal Supervisor 'Home" Among The Gumtrees: The Experience of Home Under Australian Real Property Law and in Property Theory Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Samuel Paul Tyrer
    2017 - 2019 Principal Supervisor Posthuman Legal Subjectivity in the Anthropocene: Introducing the Cosmic Person Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Rev Jana Norman
    2017 - 2021 Principal Supervisor Towards a New Law School Curriculum in Australia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Joshua Krook
    2017 - 2023 Principal Supervisor Rule of Law in the Classroom: Teacher Interpretation and Application of Policy Regarding Teaching Methods in Undergraduate Ideo-Political Subjects in China Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Michael Shaun Patrick Hooper
    2016 - 2022 Principal Supervisor Queensland Legislators and a Right to Property as a Human Right: The Functioning of the Concept of Human Dignity Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mrs Julie Jane Copley
    2015 - 2019 Principal Supervisor Demystifying Critical Legal Studies Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time James Gilchrist Stewart
    2015 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Pathways for Conscience Protection in Law: German, American and Australian Perspectives Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time APrf Patrick Thomas Quirk
    2015 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Legal Professional Privilege: The influence of Jeremy Bentham and John Henry Wigmore on the judicial pronouncement of Lord Taylor of Gosforth in R v Derby Magistrates’ Court; ex parte B. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Olivia Cheryl Grosser-Ljubanovic
    2015 - 2022 Principal Supervisor The United States’ Global Campaign Against Foreign Bribery: Bound to Fail Doctor of Philosophy under a Jointly-awarded Degree Agreement with Doctorate Full Time Mr Matt Lady
    2014 - 2024 Co-Supervisor NEGOTIATING WITH NATURE: ON THE DISCONNECT BETWEEN OUR
    CURRENT SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF HUMAN IMPACT ON EARTH
    AND THE LAWS AND POLICIES WHICH GOVERN OUR BEHAVIOUR
    Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Claire Marie Williams
    2012 - 2015 Principal Supervisor From Right to Light: A Human Rights-Based Approach to Universal Access to Modern Energy Services Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Manuel Peter Samonte Solis
    2012 - 2015 Co-Supervisor Doping in Sport: An interdisciplinary study of its management and prevention Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Aaron Hermann
    2009 - 2011 Principal Supervisor Earth Jurisprudence: Private Property and Earth Community Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Prof Peter Burdon
    2003 - 2009 Principal Supervisor Global Warming and Climate Change: The Legal, Public and Ecological Health Consequences Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Joseph Smith
  • Position: Bonython Chair in Law
  • Phone: 83135521
  • Email: paul.babie@adelaide.edu.au
  • Fax: 83134344
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Ligertwood, floor 3
  • Org Unit: Adelaide Law School

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