Associate Members | School of Law | The University of Aberdeen

Associate Members

Dr Kamalesh Adhikari

Dr Kamalesh Adhikari is a Research Fellow with the Australian Research Council (ARC) Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Uniquely Australian Foods and a Member of the ARC Laureate Project 'Harnessing the Potential of Intellectual Property to Build Food Security' at the TC Beirne School of Law, The University of Queensland. His current research focusses on socio-legal issues associated with the collection, use, and circulation of native and indigenous plants, including traditional knowledge. He is also a research partner in the Research Council of Norway and the Fridtjof Nansen Institute's Suitable Seeds Project which explores the role that intellectual property has played in shaping the history and practices of gene and seed banks. Dr Adhikari previously worked as a Research Fellow at the Australian Institute of Business and Economics (AIBE) and holds a PhD in Regulation and Law from the Australian National University.

Nevin Alija

Nevin Alija , PhD candidate in EU Energy Law at Universidade Catolica Portuguesa, is Co-Founder and Researcher at Nova Law Green Lab, focusing on the areas of Energy and Climate Legislation. She has been the coordinator of the JurisNova Renewable Energy Law Course and teaching assistant for the Energy Law course at the Master level. Her expertise extends to Alternative Dispute Resolution, serving as a teaching assistant for the Master's level course "Moot Courts" and volunteering her time as an Arbitrator in several international moot court competitions such as Vis East, FDI, Vis, Bahrain Chamber of Commerce, AIAC Moot etc.She is also an FCT Researcher for the Project "LegImpact - Law making as a means of public policy implementation: quantitative and socio-economic analysis" since September 2020. As of October 2020, she has been part of the team chairing the Working Group on International Environmental Issues (WPIEI) for the Basel and Espoo Conventions under the Portuguese Presidency of the EU, within the collaboration between NOVA School of Law and the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA).Member of the Global Shapers Lisbon Hub since June 2020, she was selected to participate in the program Future Energy Leaders Portugal - FEL.PT 2021, an initiative of the Portuguese Energy Association (APE) and the World Energy Council (WEC). Her passion for causes such as Climate Change, Sustainable Development and the transition to Renewables have motivated her throughout her professional path and she participates in Pro-Bono projects to share her knowledge and insights

Professor Anatole Boute

Anatole Boute is a Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Law, specializing in the fields of energy, environmental and investment law. His research focuses on the legal aspects of the transition of energy systems towards sustainability, energy market reform in emerging economies, and the interactions between energy law and geopolitics. He is the author of Russian Electricity and Energy Investment Law (Brill Nijhoff, 2015) and Energy Security along the New Silk Road: Energy Law and Geopolitics in Central Asia (Cambridge University Press, 2019). Anatole is admitted to the Brussels bar (Belgium) where he advised and litigated in the field of EU and national energy and climate law, and has significant consulting experience on energy market reform, energy contracts, and the low-carbon transition, with a focus on Russia and Central Asia. Before moving to Hong Kong, Anatole was a lecturer at the Aberdeen University Centre for Energy Law.

Dr Ana Maria Daza Clark

Ana María-Clark is a Lecturer in International Law at the University of Edinburgh, Law School and Director of the International Economic Law LLM Programme. She is also an affiliate member of the International Water Law Academy, at Wuhan University and a member of the Academic Forum for the reform of ISDS - UNCITRAL Group III. Her research and teaching focus on International Economic Law, covering International Investment Law and Arbitration, WTO Law, International Water Law, and Management of Natural Resources. She conducts research on the development of hydropower projects in both, the national and transboundary contexts, and on the intersection between International Investment Law and Water Resources Management and Regulation. Currently, she is the principal investigator of the GCRF funded project 'Mapping the Revision of Annex C of the Itaipú Treaty: Actors, Institutions, Negotiators and Community.'

Professor Michael Faure

Michael Faure has studied law (lic.jur. 1982) and criminology (lic.crim. 1983) and has a master of laws from the University of Chicago Law School (1985) and a doctor iur from the Albert Ludwigs Universit√§t in Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany, 1989). Since 1991 he is the director of the Maastricht European Institute for Transnational Legal Research at the faculty of law of Maastricht University. He still holds that position today, but in February 2008 he joined the Erasmus School of Law in Rotterdam halftime. There he is director of the Rotterdam Institute of Law and Economics and of the European Doctorate in Law and Economics (EDLE). He specializes in environmental law and policy, accident law and the economic analysis of law. Within the field of energy law he worked on liability and insurance issues related inter alia to nuclear power, marine oil pollution, offshore oil drilling and carbon capture and gas.

Andreas Formosa

Andreas is a clean energy lawyer specialising in regulatory frameworks and commercial agreements in the power sector. Andreas has a holistic understanding of the sector and experience working across all clean energy technologies (from onshore wind to hydrogen) having worked for a wide range of organisations, from clean energy startups, to Ofgem to global firm Clifford Chance. Andreas is now in the in-house legal team at Edinburgh headquartered Ventient Energy, one of Europe's largest generators of onshore wind. He is particularly interested in how energy markets can be structured to encourage innovation and competition as primary tools for decarbonising the sector. Andreas is also a keen contributor to discussions with local and international communities on the future of energy; for example, through the World Energy Council where he contributed to debates, events and publications on the energy transition in his capacity as Future Energy Leader. Finally, Andreas is also a regular contributor to publications and conferences on electricity market desig

Associate Professor Jose Guillermo Garcia Sanchez

Guillermo J. Garcia-Sanchez is an Associate Professor at Texas A&M University School of Law. His academic interest and teaching focuses on international energy governance, dispute resolution, and U.S-Mexico relations. His research has been published in the Harvard Journal of International Law, the Tulane Law Review, the Seton Hall Law Review, and the Houston Journal of International Law, among others. Prior to entering academia, he was an associate in Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle, LLP international arbitration team and served as a legal advisor in Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prof. Garcia-Sanchez holds an S.J.D. and an LL.M. from Harvard Law School, an LL.M. in International Law from the Fletcher School of Law Diplomacy, and Bachelors of Arts in Law and International Relations from ITAM University in Mexico

Mr Munir Hassan

Munir is a partner in the Energy team at CMS in London, and leads CMS's global Energy & Climate Change Group which stretches across 75+ offices, comprising around 450 energy lawyers working across all major technologies and practices. Around half of those lawyers are based in the UK, which is the “centre of excellence” for our work around the globe. In his operational role, Munir is an award winning power sector lawyer with 23 years of experience in the energy sector, advising internationally on some of the most high profile, complex and multinational projects and deals. The work he led on the groundbreaking electricity market reform in Mexico was awarded Energy Team of the Year 2017 by both Legal Business and The Lawyer. He was awarded Energy Lawyer of the Year at the Corporate LiveWire Awards 2018, the Client Choice Award for Energy & Natural Resources in 2020 and Energy & Natural Resources Lawyer of the Year at the Global100 Awards in 2021.

Dr Ignacio Herrera Anchustegui

Ignacio Herrera Anchustegui is Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Bergen. He is also a member of the Bergen Offshore Wind Centre (BOW) and the Bergen Center for Competition Law and Economics (BECCLE). His research focus is the regulation of energy markets, at the intersection between energy, competition and public procurement law. At the moment, he leads a project on the regulation of offshore wind energy from an energy market perspective. He obtained his PhD at the University of Bergen for which he received the Concurrences 2017 Award as best PhD of the year in Competition Law and Economics for his work “Buyer Power in EU Competition Law” (Concurrences 2017) and was recipient of the Meltzer Award for Young Researchers in 2018.

Dr Kristoffer Svendsen

Kristoffer received a Ph.D. in Law from the Arctic University of Norway in 2015, an LL.M. in Russian oil and gas law from Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO-University) in 2009, a LL.M. from Bond University in 2007 and a LL.B. from Bond University in 2006. He previously worked for a NGO in Brussels on EU's foreign policy towards Russia, a Moscow law firm, and a Moscow investment bank. Kristoffer has been a visiting researcher at the Scandinavian Institute of Maritime Law, Tulane Maritime Law Center, and Duke University School of Law. He regularly guest lectures and publishes academic articles globally. Kristoffer is admitted as a lawyer in New South Wales, Australia, an Attorney-at-law in New York State, and practices as a legal practitioner in Russia.

Professor Kim Talus

Kim Talus is the holder the James McCulloch Chair in Energy Law at Tulane University and the founding Director of the Tulane Center for Energy Law. He is also a Professor of European Energy Law at UEF Law School and the co-Director of its Center for Climate, Energy and Environmental Law Center. Additionally, he is a part-time Professor of Energy Law at University of Helsinki. His extensive experience in research and consultancy has centered around international, comparative and European energy law, with focus on natural gas market regulation and contracts. He has authored and co-authored more than 180 publications. Talus' work has awarded him with many recognitions, including The Willoughby Prize in 2005, for outstanding article published in the Journal of Energy and Natural Resources Law. His research has also been recognized by the European Court of Justice. He is the Editor-in-Chief for OGEL and a member of the Editorial Board for several journals including Journal of World Energy Law and Business and the International Journal of Nuclear Law.

Abayomi Okubote

Abayomi is the Team Lead of the International Arbitration Practice of Olaniwun Ajayi LP - a top-tier law firm in Nigeria. Beyond leading big-ticket commercial, energy and investment disputes, Abayomi has sat as an arbitrator in several domestic and international arbitrations. He is the Executive Director of the Africa Arbitration Academy, Managing Editor of the Africa Arbitration Blog and Editor of the Survey on Disputes Funding in Africa. He is a Tutor and Faculty Member at the CIArb Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration Programme and the Lagos Court of Arbitration Training School. He recently led the Team that drafted the widely celebrated Africa Arbitration Academy Protocol on Virtual Hearings in Africa - which has now been adopted by African Arbitral Institutions. He is a member of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce International Arbitration Centre (LACIAC) Court of Arbitration. He has given several presentations at international level and has published various thought-leading articles on international commercial and investment arbitration.

Dr Eduardo Pereira

Eduardo G Pereira has been active in the oil and gas industry for over 15 years and is an international expert on joint operating agreements (JOA). He has participated as a business/lawyer director in different transactions and engagements in over 40 jurisdictions covering America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Dr. Pereira concluded his doctoral thesis on oil and gas joint ventures at the University of Aberdeen (Scotland). He conducted postdoctoral research at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (University of Oxford, UK), the Scandinavian Institute of Maritime Law (University of Oslo, Norway) and Institute of Energy and Environment (University of São Paulo). He is a professor of natural resources and energy law and/or scholar in a number of leading academic institutions around the world (including but not limited to the Siberian Federal University, University of West Indies, University of São Paulo and Strathmore University). He is also the author and editor of several leading oil and gas textbooks. For the short affiliation: Professor of Natural Resources and Energy Law (Siberian Federal University), Associate Professor of Law (University of West Indies), Visiting Professor (Strathmore University), Research Fellow (University of São Paulo)

Chelsey Ross

Chelsey is an Associate in the energy team at CMS, specialising in the energy transition. Chelsey works with independent developers, utilities, energy majors, lenders and contractors on both oil and gas projects and renewable energy projects. Chelsey advises on corporate acquisitions and disposals of energy projects and the drafting and negotiation of key project contracts. Prior to joining CMS, Chelsey advised on construction disputes in the energy sector and has been seconded in-house counsel at EnQuest and BP, and is currently seconded to Pale Blue Dot on the Acorn CCS and Hydrogen Project.

Mr Uisdean Vass

Uisdean Vass , Managing Director in VassPetro Limited (VassPetro) is an upstream oil and gas lawyer of nearly 40 years standing. After graduating with an LLB (Hons) from Edinburgh in 1982 he went on to study Oil & Gas Law at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge from 1983 until 1985. He is a qualified Scots solicitor and Louisiana attorney. He practiced US law with leading New Orleans firm Stone Pigman for 5 years during which he represented State of Louisiana in mineral matters. In 1992 he accepted a senior energy position in Clyde &Co of the City of London, and after doing a secondment in Argentina (1992), he joined the new Clyde &Co Caracas office as senior energy lawyer. His business practice took off with the Venezuelan Oil Opening, and in 1997 he founded Macleod Dixon Caracas. Macleod Dixon were the largest equal law firm in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. In 2001 he went on to open Macleod Dixon, Rio de Janeiro. In 2003 he returned with his young family to Scotland, and the next year, he became Head of Oil & Gas in Maclay Murray & Spens LLP, then the largest law firm in Scotland. In a very successful decade with MMS, he built up the oil and gas practice from scratch to be a significant force in Aberdeen and London. His work was focused on UK offshore, onshore and international E&P. He was also active with regulatory, financial and supply chain matters. In 2013 he led much of the Aberdeen MMS office into newly formed Bond Dickinson LLP. After attaining senior equity in Bond Dickinson, he moved to become Head of Oil & Gas in Ledingham Chalmers LLP. In September 2020 he formed VassPetro as a corporate vehicle for his own oil and gas practice. See www.vasspetro.com

Norman Wisely

Norman Wisely is the Managing Partner of CMS Aberdeen who specialises in all areas of oil & gas law, and in particular oil & gas mergers and acquisitions work. Norman is ranked as a leading lawyer in Chambers, Legal 500 and Who's Who - Energy and is an Acritas Star - independently rated lawyer. Norman has extensive experience in advising clients on oil & gas matters including leading numerous acquisitions and disposals of offshore and onshore oil & gas assets, advising on oil & gas related share transactions, on transportation and infrastructure projects, decommissioning and decommissioning security, licensing, production sharing and joint venture matters, product sales arrangements and all matters relevant to the exploration, production and sale of hydrocarbons. Norman's recent international experience includes leading on various oil and gas deals and projects from and based in Norway, UAE, Russia, Namibia, Trinidad and various other countries and territories in Africa, Asia, Australasia and North and South America.

Dr Olivia Woolley

Dr Olivia Woolley is Associate Professor in Biolaw at Durham University Law School. Olivia researches and teaches in environmental law and in energy law. On the former, her research explores law's role in enabling the transition of socio-economic systems toward ecological sustainability. On energy law, she specialises in law relating to the production and consumption of renewable energy. She has a particular specialism in law and offshore renewables, and has examined several legal issues relating to offshore wind energy in her research. Olivia has worked in academia since 2011, holding positions at the Groningen University Centre of Energy Law in the Netherlands and the Aberdeen University Centre for Energy Law prior to her move to Durham Law School. Before commencing her academic career, she worked as a City of London-based solicitor specialising in dispute resolution in the construction and engineering sectors.