The Future of Tech in Dispute Resolution: A Comparative Perspective
Our three panellists will share some critical insights on technology-related challenges and opportunities ahead for the legal profession, especially in the area of dispute resolution. Our speakers will draw on their wealth of relevant experience in diverse areas of legal practice, policy and academia, as well as diverse jurisdictions and geographical areas (UK, Middle East, and Asia).
About the speakers
Christina Blacklaws is the Chair of the LawTech Delivery Panel of the Ministry of Justice and also chairs the Next Generation Services Panel for Innovate UK. She was the 174th president of the Law Society of England and Wales and the fifth woman to hold this office. During her presidential year (2018/19), Christina's main priorities were: diversity and inclusion, the future of the profession (including legal technology and leading the LawTech Policy Commission), promoting access to justice for all, and mental health and wellbeing in the legal profession. Christina studied Jurisprudence at Oxford and qualified as a solicitor in 1991. She has developed and managed law firms, including a virtual law firm. In 2011 she set up the first ABS with the Co-operative Legal Services, and more recently she was the director of innovation at a top 100 firm. She now runs an international consulting, speaking and advice business. She is an award-winning published author, speaker, lecturer, and frequent media commentator.
Mark Beer OBE is Chairman of The Metis Institute and co-founder of the University of Oxford's Deep Technology Dispute Resolution Lab. He was previously President of the International Association for Court Administration and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Global Legal Action Network. Mark has been a member of the Commercial Dispute Resolution Taskforce (part of the UK Government’s LawTech Delivery Panel); advisor to the Board of Resolve Disputes Online; a member of The Innovation Working Group of the Task Force on Justice focused on addressing United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 16.3; a Professional Associate with Outer Temple Chambers; a lawyer with Keystone Law and a member of the International Council of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Previously he was Chief Executive of the Dubai International Financial Centre's Dispute Resolution Authority; Registrar General and a Small Claims Tribunal judge of the DIFC Courts; and Registrar to the Dubai World Tribunal. Mark studied Jurisprudence at Oxford.
Dr Mimi Zou is the co-founder of the Deep Tech Dispute Resolution Lab at Oxford Law Faculty. She is also the Fangda CDF in Chinese Commercial Law at St Hugh’s College and Director of Studies in Law at Regent’s Park College. Mimi has held full-time academic appointments at Columbia University, Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Utrecht University. Her award-winning research focuses on law and technology, dispute resolution, comparative commercial and employment law. She is a member of the World Economic Forum Experts Network in the areas of China, Justice, and Blockchain. She is a founding advisory board member of the Asia-Pacific Legal Innovation and Technology Association. She also serves as a special adviser of the Great Britain China Centre and the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Belt and Road Initiative Taskforce. Mimi obtained her DPhil in Law degree from St John’s College and BCL degree (Distinction) from Christ Church, Oxford. She also has first-class honours degrees in economics, social sciences, and law from the University of Sydney. She qualified as a solicitor in New South Wales (Australia) and has been called to the Bar in England and Wales.