Christian Coyne ’12

I graduated from UAlbany with my B.A. in Philosophy in 2012. I took a wide variety of courses within the Philosophy program, including numerous ethics (and bioethics) focused courses, logic, philosophy of science, ancient philosophy and other period-focused philosophy courses. The breadth of courses on offer allowed me to explore the discipline from multiple angles.   

While I probably got the most enjoyment out of the philosophy courses I took which focused on distinct historical periods and individuals, it’s not the classes I remember most fondly, but rather engaging in the process of philosophy. I was fortunate to have developed great relationships with my classmates and professors, and I would be remiss not to mention the amazing support I received from Bonnie Steinbock (now retired) who both challenged me and encouraged me to push myself. The very difficult logic courses I took with Prof. Armour-Garb as well as the Ancient Philosophy course I took with Prof. Powers stand out as courses that really helped develop and reform my thinking.  

I graduated from Duke University School of Law in 2016 and have spent my time since working as a corporate lawyer focused on emerging growth companies, venture capital and mergers and acquisitions. After some time in New York City, and an extended stay in San Francisco, I am now back in the Capital Region, recently married and hoping to start a family soon while continuing my career as a corporate lawyer.   

My time as a Philosophy student at UAlbany was life-changing. I found the discipline incredibly rewarding and consequently was able to dedicate myself fully to it in a manner that felt effortless. While I likely would have gravitated towards the field anyway, knowing that I planned on becoming a lawyer, a family friend, who was also a lawyer and had studied philosophy as an undergrad, encouraged me to major in philosophy. This was probably the best career advice I ever received. Studying philosophy to the point where you instinctively look for and question assumptions in arguments and become comfortable giving any opponent’s arguments the benefit of the doubt are absolutely necessary for performing well on the LSAT, in law school and in succeeding as a lawyer. They also happen to be invaluable skills in navigating your way through life. Studying philosophy teaches you to approach problems and the world with humility, which in turn presents solutions a hardened attitude may have obscured.  

Profile Information from May 2025.