Brendan Clift

Dr. Brendan Clift is a Lecturer in the School of Private & Commercial Law at UNSW Sydney's Faculty of Law & Justice. He holds advanced degrees including a PhD (University of Melbourne), LLM (University of Hong Kong), and dual bachelor's degrees (BA LLB, Macquarie University). His academic career spans teaching roles at the University of Melbourne, University of Hong Kong, and City University of Hong Kong.

Before academia, Clift worked in legal publishing for over a decade, serving as Managing Editor at LexisNexis Australia, Publishing Director at LexisNexis Asia, and Editor of Hong Kong Lawyer. He also has media experience with Radio Television Hong Kong and the South China Morning Post, along with legal practice specializing in intellectual property.

His research focuses on media law (defamation, free speech), Asian law (particularly Hong Kong's legal framework), torts, and intellectual property. His PhD thesis, Political Dissent, Law and Legitimacy in China's Hong Kong, underpins his work on authoritarian legalism and Hong Kong's evolving legal landscape. He co-authored Australian Media Law and edits the Media and Arts Law Review.

Teaching includes torts, media law, intellectual property, and digital platform regulation. His recent media contributions address defamation reform, Hong Kong's national security laws, and legal challenges in Asia.