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Vivienne Bath

Profile

Degrees:

BA (Asian Studies) (Hons) ANU (majoring in Classical and Modern Chinese); LLB (Hons) ANU; LLM Harv

Courses taught:

  • International Business Law
  • Doing Business in China
  • Chinese Legal Institutions and Systems
  • Introduction to Chinese Law

Research interests:

  • Developments in Chinese Law, particularly in the areas of administrative law and corporate governance; reform of State assets and intellectual property; International business and investment law.

Associations

  • Solicitor, New South Wales; Barrister and Solicitor, Australian Capital Territory;
  • Attorney, State of New York, United States of America;
    Solicitor, England and Wales;
  • Solicitor, Hong Kong;
  • Vice-President of NSW Branch of the Australia-China Business Council;
  • Member of the International Law Association;
  • American Society of International Law

Brief Biographical Detail
Senior Lecturer in Law, Faculty of Law, University of Sydney, and Director of the Centre for Asian and Pacific Law at the University of Sydney. Prior to joining the Faculty of Law, Vivienne Bath was a partner of international firm Coudert Brothers, working in the Hong Kong and Sydney offices, and specialising in commercial law, with a focus on foreign investment and commercial transactions in the People's Republic of China. She previously practised as a commercial lawyer in New York and Sydney, and worked in the Federal Office of Parliamentary Counsel as a parliamentary draftsman.

Vivienne Bath has published widely in the area of Chinese law and is a frequent participant in conferences and seminars focussing on developments in the Chinese legal regime.

Publications

Journal Articles

  • Bath, V, ‘Reducing the Role of Government – The Chinese Experiment ’ (2008) 3(1) Asian Journal of Comparative Law 1-37.
  • Bath, V, ‘The Company Law and Foreign Investment Enterprises in the PRC – Parallel Systems of Chinese-Foreign Regulation’ (2007) 30(3) UNSWLJ 774.
  • Bath, V, ‘Global Asian Survey – Asian Corporate Governance: The Power of One’ (2006) Dec 06/Jan 07 The Diplomat 58.
  • Bath, V, :The World Bank Doing Business Reports – Regulation and Change in China and Australia”, Mission de recherche Droit & Justice, International Research Program.

Conference Papers/Presentations

  • Bath, V, ‘Issues in international business: Doing business in China’ presented at Commercial Practice in a Global Economy, Sydney (1 August 2008).
  • Bath, V, ‘FDI and Corporate Governance in China’ presented at CAPLUS Seminar: FDI and Corporate Governance in China, Sydney Law School, Sydney (24 June 2008).
  • Bath, V, ‘Enforcement in International Business Transactions in Asia’ presented at 5th Asian Law Institute Conference, Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore, Singapore (22-23 May 2008).
  • Bath, V, ‘Bankruptcy and Foreign Investment Enterprises’ presented at China Enterprise Bankruptcy Law Symposium, Institute of Asian-Pacific Business Law (University of Hawaii) and Asian Institute of International Financial Law (University of Hong Kong), Hong Kong (25 March 2008).
  • Bath, V, ‘The Role of the State as a Shareholder in Chinese Companies’ presented at The Corporate Law Teachers Association Conference, Sydney (4-5 February 2008).
  • Bath, V, ‘China and WTO Transparency Requirements’ presented at ‘China’s Conformity to the WTO: Progress and Challenges’ held by the Association for Chinese Economic Studies (Australia) (13 July, 2007).
  • Bath, V, ‘Regulation and Change in China and Australia – Starting a Business,’ presented at Conference held by the Centre for Asian and Pacific Law and the Law Council of Australia on “Law Reform and Business Efficiency in China and Indonesia’” (6 July, 2007).
  • Bath, V, ‘Resolution of Commercial Disputes in China,’ presented at seminar of Centre for Asian and Pacific Law on “Resolution of Commercial Disputes in the Chinese courts – a Judge’s View” (4 July, 2007).
  • Bath, V, ‘Doing Business with China – Regulatory Developments’ presented to The Commercial Law Association - Sydney (25 October 2006).
  • Bath, V, ‘Comments on the PRC Administrative Licensing Law: regulatory implementation’ presented at The Australasian Law Teachers Conference - Sydney (7 July 2006).
  • Bath, V, ‘The Nuts and Bolts of Doing Business in China’ on Dispute Resolution in China’ presented at The Australia China Business Council Seminar (15 August 2005).
  • Bath, V, ‘Doing Business with China – the Role of Government’ presented to The Lowy Business Institute (27 July 2005).
  • Bath, V, ‘The Nuts and Bolts of Doing Business in China’ on Dispute Resolution in China’ presented at The Australia China Business Council Seminar (15 August 2005).
  • Bath, V, ‘International Protection of Intellectual Property’ presented at The College of Law (CLE Seminar) – St Leonards, Australia (2005).
  • Bath, V, ‘Review of Government Action – The role of administrative law in China: A Foreign Perspective’ presented at The Chinese Legal System and the Chinese Government Conference – Sydney (2005).