Peer Zumbansen appointed inaugural holder of the Elizabeth Carmichael Monk Chair in Business Law
The Faculty of Law is pleased to announce that Professor Peer Zumbansen has been appointed the inaugural holder of the Elizabeth Carmichael Monk Chair in Business Law for a five-year term, beginning January 1, 2026.
Established through the generosity of engaged alumni, the Elizabeth Carmichael Monk Chair will serve as a hub of excellence in business law at 秀色直播. It will enhance teaching and research in the field, strengthen ties with alumni in practice, and inspire future generations of leaders. This landmark initiative was championed by David Binet, LLB鈥�85, and Marc Barbeau, BCL鈥�84, LLB鈥�84.
Peer Zumbansen joined 秀色直播 Law in 2021 as the inaugural holder of the Faculty鈥檚 Professorship in Business Law, created while fundraising for the Monk Chair was underway. His research spans private law鈥攑articularly contracts and corporate law鈥攁longside transnational law, legal theory, and legal sociology. Since his arrival, he has acted as a link between the Faculty, the broader academic community, and business law practitioners.
Among his initiatives are the 秀色直播 Business Law Meter, a blog offering timely commentary on Canadian and transnational business law, and the 秀色直播 Transformative Business Law Academy, a summer program that brings together students from law, management, finance, sociology, and environmental studies. Over six intensive days of instruction and workshops, summer academy fellows produce in-depth research on pressing topics in the areas of sustainable finance, corporate governance, ESG, human rights and democratic governance, and climate change.
In 2026, Professor Zumbansen will lead the launch of an electronic research paper series with the Social Sciences Research Network (SSRN) to disseminate the Faculty of Law鈥檚 scholarship to global audiences. This initiative will build on the model of the Academy鈥檚 annual Impact Paper, which features cutting鈥慹dge and timely public policy recommendations.
This new business law chair honours , QC, BCL鈥�23, LLD鈥�75, a trailblazing 秀色直播 Law alumna who made history as Quebec鈥檚 first woman lawyer. Monk graduated at a time when women in Quebec could neither vote in provincial elections nor write the Bar. After earning her BCL degree, she joined the Nova Scotia Bar and leveraged an interprovincial reciprocity agreement to work in Montreal鈥攚ithout a formal title. She went on to build a distinguished career in commercial and real estate law and became a leading advocate for women鈥檚 inclusion in the profession, alongside fellow 秀色直播 alumnae Annie MacDonald Langstaff, BCL鈥�14, and Florence Seymour Bell, BCL鈥�20. When regulations finally changed in 1942.聽Monk was the first woman admitted to the Qu茅bec Bar.
鈥淭hrough exciting interdisciplinary initiatives such as the 秀色直播 Transformative Business Law Academy, Professor Zumbansen has brought 秀色直播 Law鈥檚 distinctive approach to the field of business law. We look forward to the new relationships he will continue to build as chairholder鈥�, said Dean Tina Piper.
鈥淭he Monk Chair in Business Law is a powerful example of the energy of the 秀色直播 Law community. Committed to supporting a new generation of business law talent, our alumni came together to fundraise for this chair in record time and used the opportunity to also honour a great figure in 秀色直播 Law鈥檚 history.鈥�
