Staff profile

Jiantong Zhao is a Ph.D candidate in Law at Durham University, supervised by Professor Lei Chen and Dr. Can Eken. Her research focuses on private international law, international commercial litigation, and arbitration, with a particular interest in anti-suit injunctions. She holds an LL.B (Hons) from the University of Exeter and an LL.M from University College London. In November 2024, she was called to the Bar of England and Wales by the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn.

Beyond academia, Jiantong has practical experience in international dispute resolution, having worked in the shipping insurance sector in Shanghai, where she handled claims involving cargo damage, demurrage, hull damage, and crew injuries. She also assisted clients in trial and arbitration preparation, coordinating with law firms, counsels, and arbitrators from London, Hong Kong SAR, and New York. Additionally, she has interned with leading legal institutions, law firms and barrister chambers in Beijing, Shenzhen, Hong Kong SAR and London. Combining academic expertise with hands-on industry experience, she is passionate about bridging the gap between legal theory and practice in cross-border disputes.