Professor Mimi Zou
Head of School
B Ec SocSci (Medal & Hons 1) USyd, LLB (Hons 1) USyd, BCL (Dist) Oxford, DPhil Oxford
Law & Justice
School of Private & Commercial Law
My research focuses on private & commercial law issues arising from AI and blockchain and the regulation of these new technologies. Prior to joining 糖心logo, I held senior positions at top universities worldwide, including the Chair in听Commercial Law at the University of Exeter, UK and the first-ever Fellowship in Chinese Law at the University of Oxford. I also founded and led Oxford鈥檚 first lawtech research and innovation lab.听I received the Global Australian Award for Technology in 2024.
I am a member of the LawtechUK Panel and a senior independent expert advising the UK Ministry of听Justice and the Judiciary on new and emerging听technologies, data governance, and open justice.听I have previously served听on the UK Government鈥檚 expert body on responsible AI and data innovation and听on international taskforces on technology governance, including the G7, World Economic Forum, World Bank, and UNIDROIT.
I am a Visiting Fellow at the University of Oxford Martin School. I have also held honorary and visiting appointments at Columbia University (New York), University of Zurich and Peking University School of Transnational Law.
I have been called to the Bar in England and Wales and admitted as a Solicitor in New South Wales.
I actively collaborate with industry, government bodies, and civil society organisations to advance responsible AI practices and enhance ethical standards in technology use. My research and insights have been featured in a range of global media outlets, including the Financial Times, BBC, New York Times, The Economist, Guardian, Australian Financial Review, Nikkei, Nikkei Asia Review, NHK and South China Morning Post.
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I have successfully obtained a wide range of individual research grants and external funding throughout my academic career. Two of the most significantly funded projects included:
- 2019-2020: Principal Investigator of the Deep Tech Dispute Resolution Lab at the University of Oxford: I led a team of 12 researchers from law, computer science, ethics, economics, finance, psychology and sociology (approx. AU$500,000 in total external funding)
- 2019-2021: Technical Lead, China Business Environment Programme (the key strand of a AU$30 million China Prosperity Fund Programme of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office).
Academic awards
- British Academy Talent Development Award
- Association for Asian Studies-Luce Foundation Law, Society, and Justice Workshop Award
- Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics (SASE) Early Career Workshop Award
- International Association of Labour Law Journals (IALLJ) Marco Biagi Award for Best Paper
- Taylor and Francis Commonwealth Scholars Best Journal Article Prize (Runner-up)
- Innovation in Teaching Award, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Union Internationale des Avocats International Jacques Leroy Prize (Runner-up)
- University Medal, University of Sydney
- Walter Reid Memorial Prize for Economics and Law, University of Sydney
- Kingsley Laffer Memorial Award for Work & Organizational Studies, University of Sydney
- Sydney Law School Negotiations Competition Winner
- Cutler Hughes and Harris Prize for Labour Law
- University of Sydney Outstanding Academic Achievement Award
听
Professional Achievement Awards
- Global Australian Award for Technology
- UK Women of the Year (Finalist)
- Young Women to Watch in International Affairs Award
- Inaugural 40 Under 40 Most Influential Asian-Australians Award
- Asian Women of Achievements Award UK (Finalist)
- British Council鈥檚 Education UK Alumni Social Impact Award (Finalist)
- Asia Society Asia 21 Young Leader
- University of Sydney United Kingdom Alumni Association Award
- Young Australian of the Year (Finalist)
My research has been published in leading international peer-reviewed journals and won/been shortlisted for various research prizes and awards. I received a British Academy Talent Development Award in 2021, as the first legal scholar to have received the Award. These Awards recognise influential researchers in the social sciences and humanities who are developing innovative interdisciplinary approaches in their fields and creating new opportunities for knowledge and skills exchange across disciplines. I am currently co-editing a statutory commentary of the EU's AI Act with Beck and Hart Publishing. I recently led a book project on Generative AI and the Law involving 35 researchers from Asia, Europe, Americas and Africa, which will be published by in July 2025.