Dr. Shahla Ali, International Arbitrator; Mediator
Shahla Ali's practice focuses on sustainable development and the resolution of cross-border disputes in the Asia Pacific region. Recognized as a “well known international arbitration practitioner,” she is Professor and Associate Dean and Director of the Program in Arbitration and Dispute Resolution at the University of Hong Kong’s Faculty of Law. She serves as a bilingual arbitrator (English/Chinese) with the UN Funds and Programs, HKIAC, KCAB, THAC, CIETAC, SCIA and neutral with World Bank/IFC, Energy Community and HKMAAL in commercial, trade, finance, securities, resource and IP/domain name disputes. She has been described by parties as an “excellent” arbitrator having served on more than 40 ad hoc and institutional arbitrations and administrative tribunals as tribunal chair, co-arbitrator and sole arbitrator and panelists under the UNCITRAL, HKIAC, HKAO and CIETAC rules and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb). She has studied and practiced in China, Hong Kong, Israel, the US and speaks English, Chinese and Farsi.
In addition to her Asia-Pacific experience, Shahla worked as an attorney with Baker & McKenzie in its San Francisco office where she focused on international trade, corporate transactions and regulatory compliance. She is the author or co-editor of 9 books, and more than 50 articles and chapters in the area of cross border dispute resolution. Internationally, she has consulted with USAID, IFC/World Bank and the UN on access to justice, peace process negotiation, arbitration reform and served as a delegate to UNCITRAL’s WG II, the Institute for Transnational Arbitration's Academic Council, IMI's International Mixed Mode Dispute Resolution Task Force and IBA’s Working Group on Investor State Mediation Rules. Regionally, she has served as a member of the Department of Justice’s Mediation Regulatory Framework Sub-Committee, the Financial Dispute Resolution Appointments Committee, HKIAC’s Women in International Arbitration Committee, and the Executive Committee of the Asia-Pacific Mediation Forum
She received her JD and PhD from UC Berkeley in Jurisprudence and Social Policy, her MA in Conflict Resolution from Landegg University and BA in International Relations and Chinese Language from Stanford University. She has conducted mediation and collaborative negotiation trainings in both the private and public sector for managers as well as UN staff.
In addition to her Asia-Pacific experience, Shahla worked as an attorney with Baker & McKenzie in its San Francisco office where she focused on international trade, corporate transactions and regulatory compliance. She is the author or co-editor of 9 books, and more than 50 articles and chapters in the area of cross border dispute resolution. Internationally, she has consulted with USAID, IFC/World Bank and the UN on access to justice, peace process negotiation, arbitration reform and served as a delegate to UNCITRAL’s WG II, the Institute for Transnational Arbitration's Academic Council, IMI's International Mixed Mode Dispute Resolution Task Force and IBA’s Working Group on Investor State Mediation Rules. Regionally, she has served as a member of the Department of Justice’s Mediation Regulatory Framework Sub-Committee, the Financial Dispute Resolution Appointments Committee, HKIAC’s Women in International Arbitration Committee, and the Executive Committee of the Asia-Pacific Mediation Forum
She received her JD and PhD from UC Berkeley in Jurisprudence and Social Policy, her MA in Conflict Resolution from Landegg University and BA in International Relations and Chinese Language from Stanford University. She has conducted mediation and collaborative negotiation trainings in both the private and public sector for managers as well as UN staff.
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Admissions & Panels
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Selected Arbitration Case Experience
- Co-arbitrator in a USD 15 million share agreement dispute between China, US, BVI, HK entities under the UNCITRAL rules, HKIAC
- Presiding sole arbitrator in a UNCITRAL CISG trade dispute between China and US parties, HKIAC
- Arbitration panel member in a FINRA USD 6.5mil securities dispute.
- Co-arbitrator in a USD 200,000 CISG manufacturing dispute between Dutch and Chinese entities, CIETAC, Hong Kong (in Mandarin)
- Co-arbitrator in a USD 950,000 million trust dispute involving allegations of breach of duty and unsuitability, FINRA
- Presiding arbitrator in a 2013 dispute regarding domain name rights to ican.com, HKIAC, Hong Kong
- Presiding arbitrator in several disputes regarding domain name rights to whirlpoolchina.com, tvb22.com, rimowasales.com and paulsmith-france.com, HKIAC, Hong Kong (in Mandarin Chinese)
- Co-arbitrator in a dispute involving domain name rights to teenee.com, CIETAC, Beijing (in Mandarin Chinese)
- Co-arbitrator in an expungement case, FINRA, San Francisco
Education
PhD/JD, Jurisprudence & Social Policy, comparative arbitration, University of California Berkeley
Graduate Certificate in Chinese-American Studies & Language, Hopkins-Nanjing Center, Hassenfeld Fellow
MA, Landegg, Consultation & Conflict Resolution, Honors
BA, Stanford University, International Relations and Chinese Language, Distinction
PhD/JD, Jurisprudence & Social Policy, comparative arbitration, University of California Berkeley
Graduate Certificate in Chinese-American Studies & Language, Hopkins-Nanjing Center, Hassenfeld Fellow
MA, Landegg, Consultation & Conflict Resolution, Honors
BA, Stanford University, International Relations and Chinese Language, Distinction
Professional and Government Appointments
Recognition
Women in International Arbitration Committee, HKIAC
Academic Council, Institute for Transnational Arbitration, USA
World Arbitration and Mediation Review, Advisory Board
- University of Hong Kong, Professor & Associate Dean (International); Director, LLM in Arbitration and Dispute Resolution, Hong Kong (2008 to the present); teach CIArb accredited International Arbitration Law
- Baker & McKenzie, LLP, Associate, International/Trade Group, San Francisco, USA (2006-2008)
- United Nations Office of Human Resource Management/QED, Mediation trainer, NY
- Asia Global Institute, Senior Fellow, HKU
- Office of the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO), International Finance Corporation/World Bank Group, Asian Mediation Panel
- Law and Society Association, International Committee
- Department of Justice, Regulatory Subcommittee on Mediation, Member, DOJ, 2014-
- Financial Dispute Resolution Centre, Appointments Committee, FDRC 2014-2020
- U.S. District Court, Alternative Dispute Resolution Program, San Francisco, CA
- California Administrative Office of the Courts, Office of the General Counsel, SF
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, Extern for Judge Wayne Brazil
- Gregorio, Haldeman & Piazza, Mediation case manager, SF, CA
Recognition
Women in International Arbitration Committee, HKIAC
Academic Council, Institute for Transnational Arbitration, USA
World Arbitration and Mediation Review, Advisory Board
