The Environmental and Energy Law program is delighted to welcome Dr. Kristoffer Svendsen as its new Assistant Dean for Energy Law. His expertise and dedication will undoubtedly enrich our academic community. We recently caught up with Dean Svendsen to learn more about his background in energy law and related fields and hear about his plans and goals in his new role as Assistant Dean for Energy Law.
- What is your academic background?
I hold a Bachelor and Master of Laws from Bond University, Australia, specializing in public and energy law, and a Master of Laws in Russian oil and gas law from MGIMO-University in Moscow, Russia. My academic journey culminated in a PhD in law from the Arctic University of Norway.
- Tell us a bit about your career path prior to joining GW Law.
I spent a brief period working in at an investment bank in Russia followed by several years working in private practice at a law firm in Moscow. I then transitioned to positions in academia. I was a visiting research fellow at the EU-Russia Centre in Brussels working on energy and rule-of-law issues for EU-Russia relations. After my time in Brussels, I conducted my PhD research on liability and compensation rules for transboundary oil spills from offshore installations in the Barents Sea.
Immediately prior to joining GW Law, I served as the Assistant Director of the Tulane Center for Energy Law, Associate Professor at the University of Stavanger, and associate member of the Aberdeen University Centre for Energy Law. I have also been a visiting scholar at Duke University Law School and served in private practice as Of Counsel at Timofeev, Vahrenwald & Partners LLP, along with international arbitration work.
- Could you highlight some of your academic contributions and publications?
I have guest lectured globally and published extensively on topics such as liability and compensation for offshore oil pollution damage, contractual risk allocation in oil and gas related contracts, offshore wind, deep sea mining, international oil spill disputes, pure economic loss, and Russian energy and environmental law.
My most recent book publications include: Liability and Compensation for Offshore Oil Pollution Damage in the Arctic (Brill, 2023); and Knock-for-Knock Indemnities and the Law: Contractual Limitation and Delictual Liability (Routledge, 2023). My forthcoming book, the Offshore Wind Law Handbook, is scheduled to be published in 2024/2025 by E&E in their Research Handbook series on Energy Law.
- What are your goals as the Assistant Dean for the Energy Law Program?
I am extremely excited about joining the Energy Law Program at GW Law. I am looking forward to contributing to GW’s vibrant community, leaving a footprint in the preparation of the next generation of energy lawyers and advocates for positive. I especially want to launch an energy law and sustainability moot court competition, a monthly energy law lecture series, and more student and faculty exchange agreements with European law schools.
- What are your personal interests and activities outside of academia?
Originally from Norway, I am fluent in Russian, English, and Norwegian. I am an avid soccer player and runner, and I am actively involved in various athletics organizations. Additionally, I volunteered as a National Olympic Committee volunteer during the 2014 Winter Olympics.
We are thrilled to welcome Dean Svendsen to the GW Law community and we are looking forward to benefiting from his leadership and expertise.
