I get variations on this question with some regularity from prospective PhD students; here’s a recent one: “Since your primary appointment is in the Law School and you are affiliated with Philosophy, may I also ask whether you can supervise or co-supervise students in the Philosophy PhD program?”

The answer is yes, and I have done so many times. Philosophy PhD students have to have someone full-time in the philosophy department as one of their supervisors of record, and I have then served as co-supervisor for many over the last dozen years (e.g., Ben-Moshe, Dallman, Edwards, Fox, Graham, Lipshitz, Telech) and in some cases was the de facto supervisor. I’ve also served on other philosophy PhD dissertation committees (e.g., Kirwin, Petroff). (During my time in Chicago, I’ve also supervised students elsewhere, e.g., Donelson [JD/PhD Northwestern]).

I should note that there is a norm here that committee members often participate as much in supervision as the supervisors or co-supervisors of record, although it varies by faculty member (I tend to be pretty hands on, even when not the co-supervisor of record).

I’m currently supervising one PhD student at Chicago (a joint PhD in philosophy and political science), and one Chicago JD graduate doing the PhD in philosophy elsewhere.

I’ve also worked closely with many Chicago J.D.s, some of whom had (or were about to earn) the PhD (or DPhil) in philosophy, and some of whom have gone on for the Ph.D. after the J.D. (e.g., Broughton, Capps, Cox, Koles, Watson, to name only those now in academic positions–several others are in the pipeline!).

I’m happy to receive inquiries from prospective PhD students as well as prospective J.D. students with the Ph.D.