About Zhao Lei

Zhao Lei is an associate professor at the College of Humanities and Law at South China Agricultural University in Guangzhou. She also serves as an adjunct professor at the China Arbitration Research Institute of the China University of Political Science and Law and at the Sina Internet Law Institute.

Professor Zhao is a researcher at the Supreme People’s Court of China, a syndic of the China Civil Procedure Law Society. She is currently working on the project: Designing a Framework for the “Belt and Road” Dispute Resolution Mechanism in China. Her research primarily focuses on digital justice, dispute system design theory and practice, international Alternative Dispute Resolution, class actions, and ADR, and online dispute resolution. She has more than 55 publications in those fields.

In addition to her academic research, Professor Zhao acts as a legal expert for the International Commercial Mediation Center for Belt and Road Initiatives, Sina Internet Law Institute, and Tencent Research Institute.

ADR Research and Practice

Professor Zhao has published one monograph, co-edited three textbooks and one ADR judicial interpretation compilation, and has written and translated numerous academic papers and reports. She has participated in six national and provincial-level programs or projects on ADR, online dispute resolution, digital justice, judicial reform, and international Belt & Road dispute resolution mechanisms.

Professor Zhao was selected as one of the Top Ten Research Scholars of the Supreme People’s Court of China (“SPC”) and participated in judicial reforms overseen by the office of the judicial reform-leading group of the SPC (Oct. 2015- Feb.2017). During this period, she was engaged in the drafting, analysis, and explanation of judicial interpretations and related documents, including: the “SPC Opinions on Further Deepening DDR Reforms of the People’s Courts and the SPC Provisions on Court-connected Mediation of the People’s Courts.” As a top ADR trainer, she has already trained more than 1,200 judges, lawyers, mediators and in-house counsel in China.

Professor Zhao was appointed as arbitrator of the Guangzhou Arbitration Commission and serves as a mediator at the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT)/China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC) Mediation Center and at the court-annexed mediation program of the Xihu District People’s Court. She further serves as a mediator of the International Mediation Center for the Belt and Road Initiative.