Sean Cooney

Professor Sean Cooney is a Professor in the Melbourne Law School at the University of Melbourne. He studied at the University of Melbourne and Columbia University and spent several years as a lawyer practising mainly in the areas of employment and administrative law. He is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, French, and German. Between 2014 and 2016, he served as a Legal Specialist in the Labour Law and Reform Unit at the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland, where he provided advice to governments in countries including China, India, Myanmar, and Pakistan. He continues to work as a Consultant for the ILO.

At the University of Melbourne, Professor Cooney is Co-Director of Studies at the Centre for Employment and Labour Relations Law (CELRL) and a member of the Asian Law Centre. His research specializations include international and comparative labour and employment law, with a particular focus on Asia. He has undertaken Australian Research Council-funded collaborative projects on Chinese labour law reform, labour law enforcement in Australia, and the impact of legal changes in several Asia-Pacific countries. Professor Cooney has published extensively in major refereed law journals in the United States, China, and Australia. Notable publications include the book Law and Fair Work in China (2013, Routledge), co-authored with Sarah Biddulph and Ying Zhu; Law and Labour Market Regulation in East Asia: International and Comparative Perspectives (2003, Routledge), edited with Tim Lindsey, Richard Mitchell, and Ying Zhu; "China's New Labour Contract Law: Responding to the Growing Complexity of Labour Relations in the PRC" (2007, University of New South Wales Law Journal); "Rule of Law with Chinese Characteristics: The Role of Campaigns in Lawmaking" (2012, Law & Policy); and "China's Labour Law, Compliance and Flaws in Implementing Institutions" (2007, Journal of Industrial Relations). He co-edited Research Methods in Labour Law: A Handbook (2024, Edward Elgar). His work has influenced debates on labour standards, including contributions to ILO reports and public commentary on issues such as the right to strike and digital labour platforms. Professor Cooney is also involved in the editorial board of the Australian Journal of Labour Law.

Professional Email: s.cooney@unimelb.edu.au