Carol Liao

Dr. Carol Liao is an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia's Allard School of Law and UBC Sauder Distinguished Fellow at the Peter P. Dhillon Centre for Business Ethics. She holds a B.A.H. from Queen’s University, LL.B. and LL.M. from UBC, and a Ph.D./S.J.D. (joint) from UBC and the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on corporate law and sustainability, climate governance, and social justice. She co-directs the UBC Centre for Climate Justice and chairs the Canada Climate Law Initiative, advancing climate risk and fiduciary obligation knowledge.

Dr. Liao has delivered over 200 global talks on sustainable business and been featured in 100+ media outlets. Her grants include SSHRC funding for sustainable corporate governance research and involvement in the Future Minerals Initiative. She served as Director of the Centre for Business Law (2019-2023), overseeing 125+ professional events and experiential programs. Her community-engaged work includes roles with the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (FACL BC), YWCA Metro Vancouver, and InBC Investment Corporation.

Her awards include Canada’s Clean50 Award (2024), Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers (2024), and recognition as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women. Her teaching spans Business Organizations, Contract Law, and Corporate Social Responsibility. She sits on boards of the Canadian Foundation for Governance Research and the UVic Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives, among others.