In 2015-2017, René David-Cooper was a trainee for the On the Move Partnership research project and focused his research in the field of air transportation. He holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree from the Institute of Air and Space Law at McGill University and a Commercial Pilot’s License (CPL) with over 10 years of flying experience. He also holds a Licentiate in Civil Law (LL.L.) and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Ottawa.

In 2016-2017, René conducted a study focusing on the effectiveness of regulations regarding flight and duty times for professional pilots in Canada. This study was supervised by Professor Katherine Lippel at the Canada Research Chair on Occupational Health and Safety Law (University of Ottawa). He then clerked for Justice André F.J. Scott at the Federal Court of Appeal of Canada in 2016-2017 and was called to the Law Society of Ontario in 2017. He currently works for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada as an advisor in the Air Investigations Branch.

In the of Fall of 2020, René will be returning to the Institute of Air and Space Law at McGill University to commence his Doctor of Civil Law (D.C.L.). His doctoral thesis will focus on the topic of State responsibility in private and international air law. More specifically, his research will explore the causal relationship between various State actors (the legislative, executive and judiciary branches) in the context of aviation accidents.

Selected Publications

“Pilot Fatigue—A Study on the Effectiveness of Flight and Duty Time Regulations for Professional Pilots in Canada”, Special Edition, December 2019, Quebec Journal of International Law 117, 2019 CanLIIDocs 373.

“Corporate Social Responsibility in the Aviation Industry” – Book Chapter in “Sustainable Development, International Aviation and Treaty Implementation”, (2018) Cambridge University Press, co-author with Dr. Paul Fitzgerald.

“Protecting the Health and Safety of Pilots: Flight and Duty Time Regulations in Canada” (2016) 41:1 Annals of Air and Space Law 81-126. Institute of Air and Space Law — McGill University.

“Defining Common Law Property Rights — The Ownership Conundrum of Landing Slots Resolved” (2016) 16:1 Issues in Aviation Law & Policy 7–52 (Lead article). DePaul University College of Law — International Aviation Law Institute.

“The Transition to Safety Management Systems (SMS) in Aviation: Is Canada Deregulating Flight Safety?” (2016) 81:1 Journal of Air Law & Commerce 33–63. Southern Methodist University.

“Landing Safety Management Systems (SMS) in Aviation: The Implementation of Annex 19 for Commercial Air Carriers in Canada” (2015) 40:1 Annals of Air and Space Law 445–490. Institute of Air and Space Law — McGill University.

“Don’t Drink and Drive, Smoke and Fly: A Clearance for Pilot to Get High?” (2014) 39:1 Annals of Air and Space Law 555–576. Institute of Air and Space Law — McGill University.