Rita Anne Rollins Professor of Law
Areas of Specialization
Contract Law; Economic Analysis of Law; Jurisprudence; Law and Religion; Legal History
Representative Professional Activities and Achievements
Joined the faculty in 2006. He earned his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School, where he served on the Articles Committee of the Harvard Law Review and as an editor of the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy. He graduated from Brigham Young University, where he was a Benson Scholar, and, prior to law school, worked on the staff of Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. After law school, he clerked for the Honorable Morris Shepard Arnold of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and worked as a litigation associate in the Washington, DC office of Sidley Austin, LLP.
Nathan Oman's work focuses on contracts, the philosophy of private law, and law and religion. He joined the faculty in 2006. Prior to becoming a professor, he was a litigation associate in the Washington DC office of Sidley Austin LLP and clerked for Judge Morris Shepard Arnold on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
Articles
Levers of Default: Can the President Unilaterally Alter the Terms of the National Debt?, Lev E. Breydo and Nathan B. Oman
(174 University of Pennsylvania Law Review Online 60-86 (2026))Restructuring Ruritania: Bankruptcy, Sovereign Debt, and the Equity Receivership, Nathan B. Oman
(67 Arizona Law Review 109-147 (2025))Nomos, Narrative, and Nephi: Legal Interpretation in the Book of Mormon, Nathan B. Oman
(11 British Journal of American Legal Studies 297-322 (2022))Salt, Smurthwaite, and Smith: The Origins of the Modern Legal Identity of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Nathan B. Oman
(48 Journal of Mormon History 92-122 (2022))Civil Disobedience in Latter-day Saint Thought, Nathan B. Oman
(60 BYU Studies Quarterly, no. 3, at 229-240 (2021))Contract Law and the Liberalism of Fear, Nathan B. Oman
(20 Theoretical Inquiries in Law 381-410 (2019))Temple, Talmud, and Sacrament: Some Christian Thoughts on Halakhah, Nathan B. Oman
(64 Villanova Law Review 743-756 (2019))Beyond Gift and Bargain: Some Suggestions for Increasing Kidney Exchanges, Nathan B. Oman
(81 Law and Contemporary Problems 37-66 (2018))Commerce, Religion, and the Rule of Law, Nathan B. Oman
(6 Journal of Law, Religion and State 213-235 (2018))The Best and Worst of Contracts Decisions: An Anthology, Nathan B. Oman, Daniel Barnhizer, Scott J. Burnham, Charles R. Calleros, Larry T. Garvin, Nadelle Grossman, F. E. Guerra-Pujol, Jeffrey L. Harrison, Hila Keren, Michael P. Malloy, Daniel P. O'Gorman, Deborah Post, Val Ricks, Rachel Arnow-Richman, Richard R. Carlson, Mark P. Gergen, Kenney Hegland, Nancy S. Kim, Jean Fleming Powers, and Cheryl B. Preston
(45 Florida State University Law Review 887-1020 (2018))Doux Commerce, Religion, and the Limits of Antidiscrimination Law, Nathan B. Oman
(92 Indiana Law Review 693-733 (2017))Reconsidering Contractual Consent: Why We Shouldn't Worry Too Much about Boilerplate and Other Puzzles, Nathan B. Oman
(83 Brooklyn Law Review 215-249 (2017))International Legal Experience and the Mormon Theology of the State, 1945-2012, Nathan B. Oman
(100 Iowa Law Review 715-750 (2015))The Need for a Law of Church and Market, Nathan B. Oman
(64 Duke Law Journal Online 141-160 (2015))A Theory of Civil Liability, Nathan B. Oman
(21 George Mason Law Review 381-408 (2014))The Supreme Court's Theory of Private Law, Nathan B. Oman and Jason M. Solomon
(62 Duke Law Journal 1109-1168 (2013))Markets as a Moral Foundation for Contract Law, Nathan B. Oman
(98 Iowa Law Review 183-230 (2012))Promise and Private Law, Nathan B. Oman
(45 Suffolk University Law Review 935-960 (2012))Consent to Retaliation: A Civil Recourse Theory of Contractual Liability, Nathan B. Oman
(96 Iowa Law Review 529-579 (2011))How to Judge Shari'a Contracts: A Guide to Islamic Marriage Agreements in American Courts, Nathan B. Oman
(2011 Utah Law Review 287-334)Natural Law and the Rhetoric of Empire: Reynolds v. United States, Polygamy, and Imperialism, Nathan B. Oman
(88 Washington University Law Review 661-706 (2011))The Honor of Private Law, Nathan B. Oman
(80 Fordham Law Review 31-71 (2011))Why There is No Duty to Pay Damages: Powers, Duties, and Private Law, Nathan B. Oman
(39 Florida State University Law Review 137-161 (2011))Bargaining in the Shadow of God's Law: Islamic Mahr Contracts and the Perils of Legal Specialization, Nathan B. Oman
(45 Wake Forest Law Review 579-606 (2010))A Pragmatic Defense of Contract Law, Nathan B. Oman
(98 Georgetown Law Journal 77-116 (2009))Preaching to the Court House and Judging in the Temple, Nathan B. Oman
(2009 Brigham Young University Law Review 157-224)Specific Performance and the Thirteenth Amendment, Nathan B. Oman
(93 Minnesota Law Review 2020-2099 (2009))"The Living Oracles": Legal Interpretation and Mormon Thought, Nathan B. Oman
(42 Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 1-19 (2009))A Defense of the Authority of Church Doctrine, Nathan B. Oman
(40 Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 1-28 (2007))The Failure of Economic Interpretations of the Law of Contact Damages, Nathan B. Oman
(64 Washington & Lee Law Review 829-875 (2007))Jurisprudence and the Problem of Church Doctrine, Nathan B. Oman
(2 Element 1-19 (2006))Corporations and Autonomy Theories of Contract: A Critique of the New Lex Mercatoria, Nathan B. Oman
(83 Denver University Law Review 101-145 (2005))"Secret Combinations": A Legal Analysis, Nathan B. Oman
(16 FARMS Review of Books 49-73 (2004))Statutory Interpretation in Econotopia, Nathan B. Oman
(25 Pace Law Review 49-90 (2004))Blogs
From the Fuggers to Justice Ginsburg, Nathan B. Oman
(CLR Forum (April 20, 2015))Indiana and Doux Commerce, Nathan B. Oman
(CLR Forum (April 3, 2015))Law, Religious Change, and Samesex Marriage Posted on, Nathan B. Oman
(CLR Forum (April 26, 2015))Markets, Religion, and the Limits of Privacy, Nathan B. Oman
(CLR Forum (April 7, 2015))Religion and For-Profit Corporations: A Real Issue Hidden by Flimsy Arguments, Nathan B. Oman
(CLR Forum (April 9, 2015))Religious Tests and the British Monarchy, Nathan B. Oman
(CLR Forum (April 16, 2015))The Empirical Irony of the Conflict Between Antidiscrimination and Religious Freedom, Nathan B. Oman
(CLR Forum (April 22, 2015))The (Hoped for) Shallowness of Progressive Skepticism Towards Religious Freedom, Nathan B. Oman
(CLR Forum (April 21, 2015))Thoughts on Religious Discrimination from the Cairo Geniza, Nathan B. Oman
(CLR Forum (April 14, 2015))Nineteenth Century Corporate Law: A New Lens for Religious Freedom Scholars, Nathan B. Oman
(Cornerstone: A Conversation on Religious Freedom and Its Social Implications (May 30, 2014))Why Conservatives Should Support Gay Marriage, Nathan B. Oman
(Patheos, July 7, 2009)Concurring Opinions (Contributing Author), Nathan B. Oman
Book Reviews
The Temptation of Cosmic Private Law Theory, Nathan B. Oman
(66 American Journal of Jurisprudence 395-408 (2021))Book Review of Sustaining the Law: Joseph Smith's Legal Encounters, Nathan B. Oman
(33 Law and History Review 480-482 (2015))Book Review of New Perspectives in Mormon Studies: Creating and Crossing Boundaries, Nathan B. Oman
(101 Journal of American History 549-550 (2014))Mordred Had A Good Point, Nathan B. Oman
(43 Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 201-09 (Spring 2010))The Scholar as Celebrant, Nathan B. Oman
(41 Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 163-166 (2008))Unity and Pluralism in Contract Law, Nathan B. Oman
(103 Michigan Law Review 1483-1506 (2005))Book Review of Sarah Barringer Gordon's The Mormon Question: Polygamy and Constitutional Conflict in Nineteenth-Century America, Nathan B. Oman
(41 BYU Studies 71-80 (2002))The Story of a Forgotten Battle, Nathan B. Oman
(2002 Brigham Young University Law Review 745-757)"Out of Zion Shall Go Forth the Law", Nathan B. Oman
(12 FARMS Review of Books 113-135 (2000))Editorials
The Cost of Secrecy Isn't Worth It for the LDS Church, Nathan B. Oman
(Salt Lake Tribune (December 20, 2019))Note to Trump: Know What You Call Muslims Who Reject Radical Islam? Refugees, Angela M. Banks and Nathan B. Oman
(Richmond Times Dispatch (February 2, 2017))Non-Compete Legislation is Getting Worse with Latest Revisions, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News, (March 4, 2016))The End of an Idea, Alan J. Meese and Nathan B. Oman
(National Review Online, July 5, 2010)News
A Judge Weakened Utah’s Anti-Polygamy Law. What Does This Say About Sex, Race, and Religion?, Nathan B. Oman
(Religion & Politics (December 17, 2013))A Tax Hike Liberals and Conservatives Should Both Like, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News (January 10, 2013))Whatever Your Thoughts on Marriage, Gay Divorce is a Concern, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News (February 22, 2013))Chick-fil-A and the Problem of Soft Censorship, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News (July 29, 2012))Good Guys, Bad Guys and Gun Control, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News (December 19, 2012))GOP Tax Policy Should Ditch Keynes for Hayek, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News (September 21, 2012))Hiding State's Debt Doesn't Make it Any Less Real, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News (November 21, 2012))Obama Keeps Fueling the Myth of Manuafacturing, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News (January 27, 2012))Race, Folklore and Mormon Doctrine, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News (February 29, 2012))The Mormon Plot that Wasn't, Nathan B. Oman
(New York Daily News (February 1, 2012))Without Compromise, Fixing Deficit is a Fairy Tale, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News (August 31, 2012))Burke Triumphs Over Jefferson in New York Same-Sex Marriage Decision, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News (July 1, 2011))Egypt's Muslims Show Virtues of Public Religion, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News (January 21, 2011))In Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Could Commerce Foster Trust, Tolerance, and Peace?, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News (May 25, 2011))Religion Anti-discrimination and the Decline of Labor Law, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News, (February 26, 2011))Romney and Huntsman: Two Answers to the 'Mormon Question', Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News (February 5, 2011))The Arab World Needs Free Markets as Much as Democracy, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News (March 12, 2011))The End of the Great Fiscal Compromise, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News, (January 8, 2011))Warren Jeffs and the Abandonment of Tradition, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News (August 14, 2011))Balanced Budget Amendment is Dangerous Gimmick, Not Solution, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News (September 19, 2010))Glenn Beck Bad News for Religious Conservatism, Nathan B. Oman
(Richmond Times-Dispatch (December 30, 2010))Our Clumsy System is Best for Church and Market, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News, (December 26, 2010))Prosperity Versus Equality at the Polls, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News (November 1, 2010))Sharia Law Poses No Threat to American Courts, Nathan B. Oman
(Deseret News, (December 19, 2010))The Hidden Cost of Auto Bailouts, Nathan B. Oman
(Washington Times (August 10, 2010))Mormonism's Al Smith Moment?, Nathan B. Oman
(San Francisco Chronicle, January 2, 2008)Notes
Wagering on Religious Liberty, Nathan B. Oman
(116 Harvard Law Review 946-968 (2003))Podcasts
Ukraine's Victory in the UK Supreme Court, Mitu Gulati, W. Mark C. Weidemaier, and Nathan B. Oman
(Clauses & Controversies: A Podcast about International Finance… (April 17, 2023))Nate Oman on Contracts, Markets, and Liberalism, Felipe Jimenez and Nathan B. Oman
(The Private Law Podcast (October 19, 2021))Law Professor Discusses the History of LDS Church Finances, David Noyce, Peggy Fletcher Stack, and Nathan Oman
(Mormon Land (The Salt Lake Tribune) (December 26, 2019))Responses or Comments
Constitutional Law Leading Cases: Judicial Elections, Nathan B. Oman
(116 Harvard Law Review 272-282 (2002))Washington Supreme Court Upholds State Anti-Spamming Law, Nathan B. Oman
(115 Harvard Law Review 931-937 (2002))