Han-Ru Zhou

Han-Ru Zhou is an Associate Professor of Public Law at the Université de Montréal's Faculty of Law and an Associate Research Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies in London. He teaches constitutional law courses to students across various programs including the Bachelor of Law, Master of Law, and interdisciplinary programs in international studies and industrial relations.

Education:

• DPhil in Law, University of Oxford (2013)
• LLM, Harvard Law School (2005)
• LLB, Université de Montréal (2001)

Han-Ru Zhou's research focuses on constitutional law, comparative law, and legal theory. His work examines constitutional principles, judicial review, unwritten constitutional norms, and the historical development of constitutional systems. He has made significant contributions to understanding Canadian constitutional law within the broader Commonwealth context, with particular attention to the legacy of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. His scholarly approach bridges theoretical legal scholarship with practical constitutional challenges facing contemporary societies.

Zhou has published extensively in leading international journals including The Law Quarterly Review, International Journal of Constitutional Law, American Journal of Comparative Law, and American Journal of Legal History. His publications reveal consistent engagement with comparative constitutional analysis, particularly examining Canadian constitutional development in relation to other Commonwealth jurisdictions. His scholarly work demonstrates expertise in constitutional interpretation, judicial review standards, and the theoretical foundations of constitutional governance.

Scientific Recognition:

• Sproul Research Fellow at the University of California at Berkeley
• Boulton Fellow at McGill University
• Continuous research funding since 2014 from major Canadian research councils
• Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Review of Constitutional Studies

Han-Ru Zhou has supervised multiple graduate students through their thesis work, including Beurrier, Baptiste (LL.M. on transitional justice in Sri Lanka) and Boucher, Marc-André (LL.D. on municipal authority and immunity). His research has been supported by significant grants from major Canadian research councils. Zhou also serves on the Independent Advisory Board for Supreme Court of Canada Judicial Appointments, demonstrating his standing in the Canadian legal community.

Before his academic career, Zhou served as a law clerk to Justice Marie Deschamps at the Supreme Court of Canada (2006-2007) and practiced as a corporate lawyer at a national law firm. He is a member of the Québec Bar. From 2018 to 2020, he served as President of the Harvard Club of Québec.