Dr Li Liu is a Research Assistant Professor at the School of Law, City University of Hong Kong, with an academic background that combines law, technology, and practical experience.He holds a DPhil in Law from the University of Oxford and an LLM from the University of Leeds. Prior to his legal studies, he majored in pharmacy and worked for 10 years as a qualified Patent Attorney at a leading Chinese patent agency.

Dr Liu’s general research interest lies in the function of patent law within a broader innovation ecosystem. His doctoral research focuses on patent quality from a transdisciplinary perspective and has resulted in an article published in the International Review of Intellectual Property and Competition Law. While studying at Oxford, he contributed to the Oxford Intellectual Property Research Centre’s report for the UK Intellectual Property Office public consultation on AI and IP policy, co-authoring the section on patent law.

PUBLICATIONS

Articles

• Liu L, ‘Pursuing patents for their own sake: How the investment discourse shapes patent quality and quantity’ (2026 forthcoming) The Journal of World Intellectual Property, DOI: 10.1111/jwip.70029
• Liu L, ‘Patent Quality: A Critique of the State of the Discussion’, (2024) 55 IIC 499-529

Policy Consultation

• Katarina F, Caoimhe R, Le VA, Dhonchak A, Liu L and Janečková E, Oxford Intellectual Property Research Centre Submission: IPO Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property: Copyright and Patents (2022)