A leading voice in Canadian business and securities law, Dr. Douglas Sarro’s research focuses on corporate law, securities regulation, and the relationships between innovation, law, and politics. As mentioned by his nominators, Dr. Sarro has made a significant impact in just three years, that makes it hard to believe that he is just an “emerging” researcher.
The Common Law Section introduced internal awards to highlight the importance of committed teaching, active and innovative research, and generous service to the community, the University, and the Faculty of Law. The Emerging Researcher Award is awarded to a faculty member of the Faculty of Law, Common Law Section who has distinguished themselves through the importance and exceptional characteristics of their research work. At the time of nomination, the candidate must have completed at least two years, but less than seven years, as a full-time professor at the University of Ottawa or elsewhere.
Dr. Sarro is a Faculty member at the Centre for Law, Technology and Society and an Assistant Professor within the Faculty of Law, Common Law Section at the University of Ottawa. His research was recently highlighted by the Supreme Court of Canada in Markowich v. Lundin Mining Corp.(2025 SCC 39), the Court’s first securities law decision in a decade. In the majority decision, Justice Jamal relied extensively on Dr. Sarro’s article “Material Change Standards in Securities Law” to address public companies’ disclosure obligations and questions of informational asymmetry between investors and issuers.
Beyond securities law, Dr. Sarro’s research critically examines emerging issues at the intersection of innovation and regulation. His forthcoming article, “Sandbox Fictions,” offers an important assessment of cryptocurrency regulatory sandboxes in Canada and contributes to broader debates on regulatory innovation.
Dr. Sarro brings to his scholarship a depth of practical experience and intellectual curiosity, engaging with the practical effects of public policy on the public interest in a manner that is rare in the legal academy.
Congratulations to Dr. Douglas Sarro!