Christopher Hodges, OBE

Christopher Hodges OBE is Emeritus Professor of Justice Systems, Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, University of Oxford. He is an international expert in regulatory systems and dispute resolution systems, advising governments and others across the world. He is Chair of the Regulatory Horizons Council, which advises HM Government (DSIT) on regulation of innovative science and technology; Chair of the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board advising HM Government (DBT) on compensation for Post Office workers; and Chair of the Housing and Property Redress Group, comprising judges, ombudsmen and redress schemes in those sectors. He is co-founder of the International Network for Delivery of Regulation (INDR), member of the Advisory Board of The Internet Commission, and a Scientific Advisor, Dialogue Through Conflict Foundation (2023-). 

Qualifications

BA (New College Oxford, 1976) MA 1980, PhD (King's College, London, 2004); Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales, 1979-2014; Freeman of the City of London, 1982; Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Hong Kong, 1984; Fellow of the Society of Advanced Legal Studies, 2000; Society of Legal Scholars, 2006

Academic Appointments

Supernumerary Fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford (2014-2021); Erasmus Professor of the Fundamentals of Private Law, Erasmus University, Rotterdam 2011-2014; Honorary Professor, the China University for Political Science and Law, Beijing 2013-2016; Guest Professor, Wuhan University, Wuhan 2013-2016; Adviser, ELI (European Law Institute) and UNIDROIT (the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law) joint project “From Transnational Principles to European Rules of Civil Procedure” 2016-; Visiting Fellow, Australian National University, Canberra, 2014; Member of Advisory Board of the Research Centre for the Law and Policy of Global Consumer Protection, Wuhan University, China 2013-; Academic Advisory Panel of the Department of Trade & Industry on consumer law, 2001-; Expert Working Group of the European Commission on Directive 85/374 on product liability, 2004-; Visiting Lecturer, University of Surrey, MSc course in Pharmaceutical Medicine, Module on ‘Advanced Law and Ethics’, 1994-1997.

Professor Hodges was awarded the OBE in 2021 for services to business and law.

Previous Appointments

Chairman, Bampton Classical Opera, 2006-2013; Chairman, Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, 2007-2011; Chairman, Legal Committee, European Association of Medical Technology Manufacturers (EUCOMED), 1995-2008; Vice-Chairman, Association of British Healthcare Industries, 2003-2008 and Chair of its Legal Committee and Technical Policy Group, 2003-2008; Chair, Committee on Product Liability, Advertising, Unfair Competition and Consumer Affairs, International Bar Association, 1990s; Co-Chair, Working Groups on Regulation and on Communications (with Professor K Woods, CEO of MHRA) of the Department of Health’s Health Industries Task Force 2003-2007; Partner, CMS Cameron McKenna, 1990-2004; Vice-Chair, Research Ethics Committee, Harrow Health District, 1990s; Trustee and Director, The Sixteen, c1990-2006; Member of the Editorial Advisory Board, Consumer Law Journal, 1993-2000; member of the Board of the UK Research Integrity Office (2008-2018);

Member of the Examinations Board of the Society of Apothecaries of London (2012-19); Member of the Advisory Board of The Internet Commission (2022-2023); Member of the Rail Ombudsman's Liaison Panel (2019-2023); member of the Commonhold Council, advising HM Government (DLUHC) on transition to commonhold; Member of the Civil Justice Council’s Working Party on Third Party Litigation Funding (2024-25); Chair of the Advisory Board of the Office of Road and Rail’s investigation into Revenue Protection (2025); Member of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Advisory Board on implementation of a single construction regulator (2025).