Pacific Rim legal scholars explore justice and business law issues in China

Symposium group at the UH law school.

The William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa hosted a symposium that brought legal scholars from four Pacific Rim nations together to explore issues of human rights, business and investment, and the legal history of China.

Seven professors from the University of Hong Kong (UHK) faculty of law, including the dean, were joined by Chinese law experts from the University of Sydney and University of British Columbia (UBC), along with five UH Asia experts from the law school.

They explored “Chinese Justice in a Global Context” during a full day of panels and discussions March 9.

Professor Alison W. Conner, who organized the symposium and is an authority on Chinese legal history and law in film, said the gathering showcased the school’s expertise in Chinese law, as well as its breadth of knowledge about law in Asia more generally. It was the first international legal symposium at the law school to include scholars from UHK, although earlier conferences were organized with scholars from Sydney University and UBC.

Said Conner, “Richardson has long had a connection with these excellent law schools, particularly the University of Hong Kong, where I and two colleagues (Carole Petersen and Charlie Booth) taught for years and with whom we continue to work on joint projects. But this is the first time we have hosted a group of our university's legal experts for discussions on shared research interests, and we look forward to further scholarly cooperation.” 

Added Dean Avi Soifer, “Professor Conner did an amazing job in paying attention to every detail. The symposium was such a huge success that it provides a solid foundation for future collaborative efforts on several vital issues.”

For more information, visit: http://go.hawaii.edu/fF6