Schulich School of Law

Did you know?

As a student, Professor Coughlan was the founding president of the Canadian University Society for Intercollegiate Debate (CUSID) and was a winner of the University World Debating Competition in Glasgow in 1981.

Outside of the classroom, he is a rather keen juggler and player of badminton, squash, volleyball and board games.

Steve Coughlan

Professor of Law

law_faculty_Steve_Coughlan_2020
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Schulich School of Law , Law & Technology Institute

Email: stephen.coughlan@dal.ca
Phone: 902-494-1035
Mailing Address: 
Room 317, Weldon Law Building, 6061 University Avenue
PO Box 15000 Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4R2
 
Research Topics:
  • Criminal law
  • Criminal procedure
  • Law and technology

Education

  • BA (Ottawa)
  • MA (Toronto)
  • LLB (Dalhousie)
  • PhD (Toronto)

Bar admissions

  • Nova Scotia, 1986

Teaching

Professor Coughlan's primary teaching area is Criminal Law and Procedure. For many years, he coached competitive moot teams. Professor Coughlan has taught Constitutional Law, Health Law, and Medical Ethics (in the Faculty of Medicine), as well as Introduction to Law (a course offered by the Law School to non-law students).

Areas of supervision: Criminal law and procedure

Research interests

Professor Coughlan's research interests include criminal law and procedure, as well law and technology/privacy issues as they intersect with the criminal law. Professor Coughlan has published over 30 books and roughly 200 articles and book chapters. He is co-editor of and writes regular case annotations for the Criminal Reports and is a co-author of the National Judicial Institute Criminal Law Essentials eletter. He is also co-editor of the IT.Can Newsletter on Canadian information technology law developments.

Selected awards & honours

  • 2019: Top 25 Most Influential in the Justice System
  • 2011: Culliton Lecturer, University of Saskatchewan
  • 2009: Hanna and Harold Barnett Award for Excellence in Teaching First Year Law
  • 2005: Association of Atlantic Universities Distinguished Teacher Award
  • 2004: Dalhousie Alumni Association Award of Excellence for Teaching
  • 2004: Hanna and Harold Barnett Award for Excellence in Teaching First Year Law
  • 2000: Dalhousie Law Students' Society and the Dalhousie Law Alumni Association Award for Excellence in Teaching Law

Selected publications

  • Steve Coughlan, Criminal Procedure 4th ed. (Toronto: Irwin Law, 2020)
  • Steve Coughlan, Michelle Lawrence and Rob Currie, Annual Review of Criminal Law 2019 (Toronto: Carswell, 2020)
  • Don Stuart & Steve Coughlan, Learning Canadian Criminal Law, 14th ed (Toronto: Carswell, 2018).
  • Steve Coughlan and Glen Luther, Detention and Arrest (2nd ed.) (Toronto: Irwin Law, 2017)
  • Steve Coughlan et al, Law Beyond Borders: Extraterritorial Jurisdiction in an Age of Globalization, (Toronto: Irwin Law, 2014).
  • Steve Coughlan, Canadian Law Dictionary, 7th ed (New York: Barron's Educational Series, 2013).

Service & activity

  • Member of the Law and Technology Institute at Dalhousie
  • 1988-92: Consultant, Law Reform Commission of Canada
  • 1986-88: Lawyer, Metro Community Law Clinic