Deep Expertise

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My work takes me to the frontier of the energy world. Whether it is the physical frontier of Mongolian hard rock mining communities or the intellectual frontiers of harnessing the future of nuclear energy for the Association of International Energy Negotiators Nuclear Taskforce, I help shape where energy is moving next. I have 'written the book' on international energy law by authoring or co-authoring the authoritative texts on international petroleum law (with principal responsibility for the chapter ron energy disputes), the transnational law of renewable energy, the principles of international energy transition law, decarbonization of incumbent energy systems, and the theory of global energy governance. 

I am a testifying expert on core issues affecting the energy value chain. I currently serve as testifying expert on climate law and policy for APMC in its CUSMA/ NAFTA legacy arbitration against the U.S. relating to the Keystone XL pipeline. I also serve as testifying expert on the precautionary principle in international environmental law in an international legal dispute in the hard rock mining sector. My testimony is rooted in my academic thought leadership in international energy and international environmental law and my pragmatic understanding of how projects and value chains function in the real world.  

In some cases, it is valuable for stakeholders to have a sounding board and a partner behind the scenes to help them solve thorny policy, techno-commercial, or finance problems. Understanding the problem fully and developing strategic responses is a core competence that I teach my students. This teaching is based on real world lived experience in solving complex problems. Since my first day of being an academic, I have acted for several energy, infrastructure and a sovereign stakeholder in this capacity to provide behind the scenes advice through record counsel.

On occasion, I act as counsel for parties to investor-state arbitrations. My work on evidence in international arbitration has set the standard in the field and has been cited in multiple arbitral decisions.  My articles on international environmental law, the law of treaty termination, and on the general reasonableness standard have been cited approvingly by global courts (court of appeals of New Zealand and the Constitutional Court of Portugal) and international ICSID tribunals. I most recently argued on behalf of the Republic of Armenia in a transportation dispute before the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) in Washington, DC and continue to take appointments in appropriate international cases.

My experience allows me to get to the heart of an energy matter efficiently. I have worked on both sides of the arbitration caption for twenty years. I have co-authored two casebooks on arbitration (one on international arbitration and the other on U.S. commercial arbitration). I was recognized by Who's Who Legal as a Future Leader (non-partner) arbitration. This experience allows me to separate signal from noise in hard fought disputes.