Staff profile

Lexie Gao (高倩) is a Ph.D. candidate at Durham Law School, Durham University, supervised by Professor Lei Chen and Dr. Can Eken. Her doctoral research, funded by the China Scholarship Council, examines due process reform in AI-enabled arbitration, with a particular focus on the interaction between emerging technologies, arbitral decision-making, and procedural legitimacy. Lexie holds an LL.M. in Arbitration and Dispute Resolution from The University of Hong Kong, where her dissertation explored the challenges and future pathways of AI-enabled arbitration in China. Her current research combines doctrinal, comparative, and empirical approaches. 

In addition to her academic work, Lexie recently served as a Visiting Professional at the SCC Arbitration Institute in Stockholm. During her placement, she supported SCC case administration by preparing memoranda for case meetings, conducting case-related legal research, and contributing to discussions on significant arbitration matters. She also led and participated in a number of research initiatives, authoring publications for the SCC and Kluwer Arbitration Blog, while providing analysis and advice on China-related legal and institutional issues.

Lexie has gained practical experience through internships with leading law firms, including King & Wood Mallesons, Dentons, and Huizhong Law Firm. Her work has involved international arbitration, financial regulation, dispute resolution, and judicial proceedings. She is also an active participant in the international moot court community as a competitor, coach, and arbitrator. She has coached Vis Moot teams from multiple jurisdictions and has received numerous national and international awards. 

Beyond her academic and professional engagements, Lexie has participated in advanced specialist training programmes, including the Austrian Arbitration Academy and the Munich Advanced Course in International Law. She is also a certified English–Chinese translator, holding the CATTI Level II Translation Certificate.