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Lecturer

Miss Mary Ip

Master of Laws (USyd); Bachelor of Arts in Law (Hons) (N. London)

Business School
School of Management and Governance

Focus of Mary’s research has been on consumer legal protection in China since 1993 when the first national consumer legislation was passed.  Chinese legal study demands examination of the prevailing political, social and economic situations in the country.  Therefore, Mary adopts multi-lenses research approach.  Given China’s legal reform has adapted Western ideas into a Chinese framework, Mary also study Chinese laws on a comparative basis.  The number of Australian scholars doing Chinese law research is small, and the number of those using a comparative and multi-lenses study methodology is even smaller.  Thus, Mary’s research is unique and has attained varied recognitions.

Mary’s research standing is highlighted as follows:

  • Visiting scholar to Beijing and Nanjing Universities under co-sponsorship from the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia and China
  • Invited talk to 300 officials at the Shanghai Administrative Bureau of Trade and Commerce about comparative Australian and Chinese Competition and Consumer laws
  • Inaugural member of China Focus Group of the Law Council of Australia
  • Board member of the China Working Group of the International Legal Service Advisory Council of Attorney Generals Department, Australia
  •  Citation by the Honourable James Spigelman, Former Chief Justice of New South Wales Supreme Court, in his keynote speech delivered at the International Insolvency Annual Conference in Shanghai
  • Fully funded presentations at the Singapore Management University, Macau University, and Sweden Labour Movement Archive and Library
  • Expert seminar organised by Law Council of Australia and hosted by King & Wood Malleson
  • Associate editor of The Chinese Economy (an American journal)
  • Panel member for Distinguished Article Award of the Asian Law and Society Association
  • Adjunct Fellowship with the Centre for Comparative Law and Development Studies in Asia and the Pacific, University of Wollongong

 

 

ASB Profile:
http://www.asb.unsw.edu.au/schools/Pages/MaryIp.aspx
Phone
+61 2-9065 7958
E-mail
m.ip@unsw.edu.au
Location
School of Management and Governance Level 5, Business Building, Room 540
  • Book Chapters | 2017
    Ip M; Chan KY, 2017, 'Consumer Co-operatives in the People's Republic of China: A Development Path Shaped by Its Economic and Political History', in A Global History of Consumer Co-operation since 1850: movements and businesses, Brill, Netherland, pp. 379 - 406
    Book Chapters | 2013
    Ip M, 2013, 'Recent Developments in Chinese Consumer Law - The "Three Represents"', in Blazey Chan (ed.), Commercial Law of the People's Republic of China, edn. 1st, Thompson Reuters, Sydney, pp. 181 - 204, http://www.thomsonreuters.com/
    Book Chapters | 2011
    Ip M; Bath V, 2011, 'Wealth and loss in changing economic times - Reforms in bankruptcy and consumer protection laws', in Garrick J (ed.), Law Wealth and Power in China: Commercial Law Reforms in Context, edn. 1, Routledge, United States, pp. 231 - 250, http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9780203840924
    Book Chapters | 2009
    Ip M, 2009, 'The applicability of the World Bank Reports on Doing Business for the case of China', in Reforms in Economic Law and development in Asia: Lessons from China, Indonesia and Thailand, edn. Original, pp. 115 - 139
    Book Chapters | 2008
    Ip M, 2008, 'Bankruptcy Law in China', in Blazey P; Chan K-W (ed.), The Chinese Commercial Legal System, edn. 1st, Thomson Law Book Co, Australia, pp. 419 - 437
    Book Chapters | 2008
    Ip M, 2008, 'Chinese Consumers - Law & Current Issues', in Blazey P; Chan K-W (ed.), The Chinese Commercial Legal System, edn. 1st, Thomson Law Book Co, Australia, pp. 349 - 395
    Book Chapters | 2007
    Ip M, 2007, 'Applicability of the World Bank Report on doing business to the case of bankruptcy of China', in Gibson J; du Marais B (ed.), Law Reform & Business Efficient in Asia-China, Indonesia & Thailand, edn. 1, La Documentation Francaise, France, pp. 115 - 139
    Book Chapters | 2007
    Ip M, 2007, 'Chinese financial markets: regulators & current laws', in Chan KC; Fung H-G; Liu OW (ed.), China`s Capital Markets Challenge from WTO Membership, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham,UK; NorthamptonMA,USA, pp. 297 - 325
  • Journal articles | 2021
    Ip M, 2021, 'Online cross-border target marketing: Consumer protection through the lens of the Australian doctrine of unconscionability', Competition and Consumer Law Journal, vol. 28, pp. 236 - 263, https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=analytical-materials-au&id=urn:contentItem:63BM-NDV1-F65M-642H-00000-00&context=1201008
    Journal articles | 2019
    Ip M, 2019, 'Law of Business Conscience: Australian and Chinese Notions of Unconscionability', The Journal of Comparative Law, vol. 14, pp. 25 - 45
    Journal articles | 2017
    Wang B; Ip M, 2017, 'China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone—An Appraisal', Chinese Economy, vol. 50, pp. 221 - 224, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10971475.2017.1321457
    Journal articles | 2016
    Ip M, 2016, 'Chinese Competition Laws' Mission to Protect Consumers: Possible or Impossible?', The Journal of Business Law, vol. 2, pp. 73 - 90
    Journal articles | 2016
    Ip M, 2016, 'Everyone Beware: A Comparative Study of Consumer Protection in Chinese and Australian Mobile Commerce', Australian Journal of Competition and Consumer Law, vol. 24, pp. 146 - 161, http://www.westlaw.com.au/maf/wlau/app/document?endChunk=1&startChunk=1&parentguid=AUNZ_AU_JOURNALS_TOC%7C%7CI6ea259be2bb411e69e0fd18d932f6e2c&docguid=I6ea259ba2bb411e69e0fd18d932f6e2c&epos=1&tocDs=AUNZ_AU_JOURNALS_TOC&ipuser=true&resultType=list&isTocNav=true&tocGuid=AUNZ_AU_JOURNALS_TOC%7C%7CI6ea259bf2bb411e69e0fd18d932f6e2c
    Journal articles | 2014
    Chan K-W; Ip M, 2014, 'The "Legal Environment" of Cooperatives in the People's Republic of China', Chinese Economy, vol. 47, pp. 8 - 31, http://dx.doi.org/10.2753/CES1097-1475470401
    Journal articles | 2014
    Ip M, 2014, 'Cooperatives in China—A Promising Player in Chinese Economy. Guest Editors’ Introduction.', The Chinese Economy, vol. 47, pp. 3 - 7, http://dx.doi.org/10.2753/CES1097-1475470400
    Journal articles | 2014
    Ip M; Marshall B, 2014, 'Evaluation of Chinese Consumer Protection: Through the Lens of Product Quality Laws', Bond Law Review, vol. 26, pp. 35 - 52, http://epublications.bond.edu.au/blr/vol26/iss2/3/?utm_source=epublications.bond.edu.au/blr/vol26/iss2/3&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages
    Journal articles | 2012
    Ip M, 2012, 'The Global Financial Crisis and Beyond: Legal Responses and Special Topics – Guest Editor’s Introduction', Chinese Economy, vol. 45, pp. 3 - 7, http://dx.doi.org/10.2753/CES1097-1475450300
    Journal articles | 2012
    Ip M, 2012, 'The Global Financial Crisis: Role of Law in China', Chinese Economy, vol. 45, pp. 8 - 23, http://dx.doi.org/10.2753/CES1097-1475450301
    Journal articles | 2012
    Ip M, 2012, 'The global financial crisis and beyond: Legal responses and special topics', Chinese Economy, vol. 45, pp. 3 - 7, http://dx.doi.org/10.2753/CES1097-1475450300
    Journal articles | 2007
    Ip M, 2007, 'Consumer protection in China: an examination of the Toshiba Netbook case from an Australian perspective.', Asian Journal of Comparative Law, vol. 2, pp. 1 - 25, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S2194607800000053
    Journal articles | 2007
    Ip M; Butcher CW, 2007, 'Are Chinese Consumers Winners or Losers under WTO Membership?', Macquarie Journal of Business Law, vol. 4, pp. 71 - 83, http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=379733675265147;res=IELHSS
  • Reports | 2020
    Hamilton M; Hodgson H; Bradbury B; Ip M; Adamson E; Van Toorn G, 2020, Security in old age for older single women without children, https://www.sydney.edu.au/content/dam/corporate/documents/business-school/research/women-work-leadership/security-in-old-age-for-older-single-women-without-children-report.pdf
    Conference Papers | 2012
    Ip M, 2012, 'Consumer Co-operatives in the People’s Republic of China – Past, Present and Future', in Consumer Co-operatives in the People’s Republic of China – Past, Present and Future, Towards a global history of the consumer co-operative movement, Labour Movement Archives and Library, Stockholm, Sweden, presented at Towards a global history of the consumer co-operative movement, Labour Movement Archives and Library, Stockholm, Sweden, 02 May 2012 - 04 May 2012
    Conference Papers | 2012
    Ip M, 2012, 'Evolution of Chinese Consumer Law – Through the Lenses of Product Quality Law and Anti-Monopoly Law', in Evolution of Chinese Consumer Law – Through the Lenses of Product Quality Law and Anti-Monopoly Law, 2012 International Conference on the Law and Society, Hawaii, USA, presented at 2012 International Conference on the Law and Society, Hawaii, USA, 06 June 2012 - 08 June 2012
    Conference Papers | 2007
    Butcher CW; Ip M, 2007, 'What does WTO entry mean to Chinese Consumers?', in ALTA Conference 2006, ALTA Conference 2006, Melbourne - Victoria University, pp. 1 - 13, presented at ALTA Conference 2006, Melbourne - Victoria University, 04 July 2007 - 07 July 2007
    Conference Papers | 2007
    Ip M; Wyburn M, 2007, 'The New Chinese Bankruptcy Law - Creditor Friendly?', in 10th International Conference of the Society for Global Business and Economic Development, 10th International Conference on Global Business and Economic Development, Kyoto Japan, presented at 10th International Conference on Global Business and Economic Development, Kyoto Japan, 08 August 2007 - 11 August 2007
    Conference Papers | 2005
    Ip M, 2005, 'Consumer protection in China: An examination of the Toshiba Notebook case from an Australian perspective.', in 19th International Conference on Global Business and Economic, 19th International Conference on Global Business and Economic, Seoul, South Korea, presented at 19th International Conference on Global Business and Economic, Seoul, South Korea, 25 May 2005 - 28 May 2005

Notion of Unconscionability – a comparative analysis from the perspectives of common law and civil law systems. UNSW Law School Centre for Law, Markets and Regulation Summer Research Grant 2019 (Chief investigator)

Security in old age for single older women without children. CP Australia – Global Research Perspective Program 2018 (Project instigator and co-researcher)

International Guidelines in E-Commerce- An Enhancement for Developing Chinese Consumer Legal Regime in Digital Market. UNSW Business School Special Research Grant 2017 (Chief investigator)

Economic efficiency and the law reform process in China, Indonesia and Thailand. Commissioned by the Ministry of Justice, France 2005 (Chief coordinator and co-researcher)

Implication of the WTO membership on the consumers – A Case study of China. The University of Sydney, Faculty of Business Grant 2003 (Chief investigator)

A review of Chinese consumer law after accession to the World Trade Organisation. The University of New South Wales, Faculty of Economics and Business Grant 2002 (Chief investigator)

 

Mary is passionate in examining efficiency of legal protection for consumers. Her passion is prompted by the on-going infringement of consumers’ rights notwithstanding most countries already have enacted consumer law. Since Mary adopts comparative and cross-disciplinary research methodology for her studies, her research findings appeal to legal scholars as well as researchers in business discipline. Mary’s research has also appealed to local and overseas students who sought supervision for their higher degree study.

Mary’s recent research interest in old age, gender and housing is built on her enduring study about consumers vulnerability and disadvantages in consumption.

Journal editor

2018 – present, Associate editor, The Chinese Economy, Routledge (USA).

Assistant guest editor

2018 – E-journal for the 13th Atax International Tax Administration Conference, Sydney.

Invited reviewer for book proposal

2020 – invitation from Bentham Science Publishers

Invited referee for journal article

2018 – The Chinese Journal of Comparative Law (Oxford University Press)

Conference session chair

2019 - Asian Law and Society Association Conference, Japan

 

Invited participation

2018 - National Consumer Congress, hosted by Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

 

Share research findings

Periodical requests from overseas scholars for my publications, especially the article entitled The Revised Contract Law and Its Implications on Consumerism in China

 

Membership

  1. 2019 – present, Member of the Expert Consultancy Panel, UNSW-Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
  2. 2018 – present, Associate of the Australia Institute of Human Rights
  3. 2014 – present, Member of the Asian Law and Society Association
  4. 2009 – 2010, 2020 – present, Member of the University of Sydney China Studies Centre
  5. 2012 – 2016, Member of the UNSW China Research Network
  6. 2010 – 2015, Member of the China Law Network
  7. 2008 – 2019, Member of the Comparative Law Committee at the International Law Section, Law Council of Australia
  8. 2008 – 2013, Inaugural member of the China Focus Group, Law Council of Australia
  9. 2007 – 2014, Member of the China Working Group on Legal Services at the International Legal Services Advisory Council, Federal Attorney General’s Department, Australia

My Teaching

Mary has incorporated her research activities to teaching. She develops a unique course namely ‘Asian Business Law’ with comparative approach. Given UNSW has considerable number of international students who come from Asian countries, those students have found the special teaching method pertinent and interesting. It is because the course assessment regime provides students an opportunity to evaluate and analyze their own country legal approaches in a chosen area of law with another country. Through such comparative exercise, students could identify the strengths and weaknesses of both countries’ laws and suggest changes.

Mary also specializes teaching first year law subjects to business students. Mary brings her cross-disciplinary research methodology into classroom so that students can appreciate the relevancy and importance to understand legal implication in doing business.