Testimonials
In addition to the academic and practical lectures of the programme, participation in the Advanced LLM in Energy Law offers many networking opportunities. First and foremost, the participants spend eight weeks together and several weeks with the coordinating (associate) professors from the Universities of Groningen, Oslo, Aberdeen and Copenhagen, allowing you to build relationships with professionals from all corners of the world. On top of that, you will meet more academics at all four of the universities and practitioners in the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom and Denmark, as the programme features guest lecturers and visits to, for example, law firms, TSOs or other actors in the energy sector.
The network you build during the programme can bring you many opportunities after the programme. For example, you will have contacts in energy law in many countries and the professors will invite you to conferences, allowing you to keep your knowledge up to date and further build your relationships. On this page you can read testimonials of some of the participants of the Advanced LLM in Energy Law, as well as see who they are and where they currently work.
Marijke Bootsman
Deputy head/Legal adviser at the Legislation and Legal Affairs Department,
Norwegian Ministry of Economic Affairs
Between September 2009 and June 2011, I have followed the Advanced LLM in Energy Law, then still called the North Sea Energy Law Programme. It was really nice getting back to university after many years working at the Ministry. Away from work, the programme gave me the opportunity to gain more knowledge about areas of energy law which I was already familiar with but also to acquire knowledge of other, unfamiliar aspects of energy law. Despite the common European background, most countries aim at specific issues and solutions…
The subsequent international character of the programme enables me to look with a fresh view at my daily work.
Also after completing the Advanced LLM in Energy law, the programme remains valuable because I have a better overview of the entire field of energy law. Apart from this, the different atmospheres at the four different countries and universities were fun to experience, as were the field trips. I remember especially the excursion to the almost finished Gjøa platform in freezing Norway and the excursion to the huge offshore wind farm in Denmark!
Sverre Sydnes
Lawyer at Gassco AS
Having worked as a lawyer in the energy sector in Norway for some years, I saw the Advanced LLM in Energy Law as a unique opportunity to obtain a systematic overview of international and EU law relevant to my field of work, and also to gain a more in-depth knowledge of energy law in relevant jurisdictions. Having completed the programme I can only say that my expectations were exceeded…
The way the Advanced LLM is structured around modules, with preparation and subsequent papers, ensured a good learning outcome from the programme. The quality of the teaching was impressive, and it managed to combine high academic standard with a practical approach which ensured that the learning was relevant for my work.
The link with the practical side of the energy sector even extended to site visits at places such as an offshore wind park and a platform under construction at a yard. These visits really helped put the law into perspective.
Getting to know the fellow participants, legal professionals from around Europe, is an integral part of the Advanced LLM which was much pleasing. Enjoying the four different cities in which the programme is held, gave good opportunities for socialising, and the staff was most helpful in providing information about things to do in the spare time. I would also like to mention the pleasure of getting to know the professors responsible for the programme, who not only are brilliant in their respective fields but also very pleasant to spend time with.
I will recommend the Advanced LLM in Energy Law to any legal professional in the energy sector looking to gain a comprehensive understanding of energy law.
Kjersti Kaurin
Lawyer at Michelet & Co
The Advanced LLM in Energy Law programme aims at, and is highly successful in, addressing developments within the European energy sector. Through teaching sessions on European energy law, given by highly qualified lecturers, the programme provides in-depth knowledge of developments and trends in this sector. In addition, the programme also successfully puts energy law into a broader – and more practical – perspective, inter alia through various field trips…
The Advanced LLM programme is a joint project between the Universities of Groningen, Oslo, Aberdeen and Copenhagen. The programme is thus divided into four blocks, each of two weeks duration at each university. This structure of the programme allows for intensive teaching periods, which easily combines with regular work. The mix of different lecturers with different backgrounds and focus areas offers a unique possibility to gain an overview of the energy sector, and its importance, as such, but also detailed knowledge of the topics covered by the programme.
Importantly, the structure of the programme also allows for the establishment of both personal and professional relations with fellow students and professors. I have many great memories from each block, and have regular contact with several of the other participants.
Participation in the Advanced LLM programme has been very valuable and relevant for my regular work as a lawyer and for my professional development. I therefore highly recommend the programme to all professionals working within the energy sector.
Torkjel Grøndalen
Lawyer/Partner at Arntzen de Besche Advokatfirma AS
The energy market in Europe and the regulation is increasingly integrated. Thus, to have an in-depth knowledge of the European energy law is highly important in my work as an oil and gas lawyer in Norway. The Advanced LLM in Energy Law was therefore perfect for me as postgraduate studies within European energy law. The Advanced LLM programme covers all major topics within energy law…
liberalisation and regulation of the electricity and gas market, upstream oil and gas law, energy supply, environmental law etc., taught by the best professors within the field in Northern Europe. The topics have shown to be highly relevant to my daily work as lawyer within energy law, and the Advanced LLM in Energy Law was a great opportunity increase and develop my knowledge in the field of energy law.
The programme was divided into four blocks with a two weeks lecture programme at each university in Groningen, Oslo, Aberdeen and Copenhagen. During those two weeks there was an extensive lecture programme with the opportunity to discuss different matters directly with the professors and the other students, which were other highly qualified lawyers and legal professional from around Europe. Such discussions on different legal issues between professionals from different jurisdictions were highly valuable, and something that I have not experienced within any other forums.
Through such blocks you were able to establish a lifelong and close relationship and friendship with the other students and professors, valuable both professionally and at the personal level.
The Advanced LLM was also a great possibility to explore and experience different cities and cultures around the North Sea, and the programme did also contain field trips to different sites which both gave an interesting insight in the industry and the surroundings.
If you are determined to practice law within the energy sector, I highly recommend the Advanced LLM in Energy Law as your postgraduate studies. You will experience a wide range of lectures covering all main topics within European energy law, and will establish a close relationship with other legal professionals within the field from around Europe.
Eleni Diamantopoulou
Lawyer,
EU Energy and Coal at Client Earth
I have decided to diversify my skills in Energy Law when the workload of my practice on relevant cases kept increasing. I wanted to offer my clients the best quality of legal services and also to work exclusively on the energy sector making a career turn.
I have chosen to attend the Advanced LLM in Energy Law because it seemed to me the most comprehensive distance – learning course…
My decision proved to be wise as the Advanced LLM offered me an in-depth, systematic and practical understanding of the energy law. The programme marries successfully academic/theoretic teaching with practical implementation of the acquired knowledge. The lectures are given by distinctly accomplished academics along with leading experts from highly regarded law firms, pioneering and established private entities and acknowledged public organisations. Field trips, apart from being one of the programme’s most amusing parts, familiarise you with the real-life technical issues of the energy sector.
The Advanced LLM encloses all the crucial and central topics that a jurist has to know about the upstream and downstream regulation on oil and gas, electricity, green energy; public and contractual law, trade and investments; and even some technical insight. Apart from the outstanding command of the International and EU law, the programme provides a very good grasp of the national legal frameworks of the Netherlands, Norway, the UK and Denmark.
It might sometimes turn challenging to work and study at the same time, but excellent administrative support is there to help you and to facilitate your studies.
I really enjoyed the time I spent in the Advanced LLM in Energy Law for I had the chance to network with other professionals, to meet so many interesting people from different parts of the world and to make some new friends!
I have no doubt that my participation in the Advanced LLM benefited me on multiple levels. I highly recommend the programme to everyone who wants to excel himself/ herself to the energy sector.
Valeria Bulfoni
General Counsel at Pietro Fiorentini S.p.A.
The programme is very useful since it offers different approaches to the energy sector giving the chance to deepen the sector of your interest during the paper session. It also offers access to very high qualified professionals and network and permits a constant update of the knowledge sources. Besides, a nice environment of human relationship, and real friendship, makes the experience complete.
Lisa M. Løvold Ihle
Senior Adviser at The Norwegian Ministery of Petroleum and Energy
I attended the Advanced LLM in Energy Law, then still called the North Sea Energy Law Programme, from its beginning in September 2009 and to the completion of the programme with a graduation ceremony in June 2011. During these two years I met with other professionals in the field of energy law from different parts of Europe and from different fields of legal practice. We met during sessions of two weeks in Groningen (September – October 2009 EU energy law), Oslo (February 2010 – Oil and gas / Petroleum law), Aberdeen (June 2010 – Security of energy supply),…
Copenhagen (September 2010 – Renewable Energy and Climate Change) and in The Hague (June 2011 – Presentation of final Master’s thesis and Graduation Ceremony).
During the sessions we had extremely interesting lectures in practically every field of European and international energy law that might interest a European lawyer working with energy law. The lecturers were both from universities, research institutions, national and EU- authorities and private practicing lawyers. During the sessions and in between the blocks, we had to hand in assignments and prepare presentations. These assignments and presentations were demanding, but nonetheless instructive and forced us to develop our own views of the material the lecturers had presented for us. We were in each block able to consult the library connected to the Faculty of Law we were connected to.
The Spring of 2011 was reserved for writing a final Master’s thesis. Again this was demanding, but academically rewarding.
Attending the Advanced LLM in Energy Law was an experience I consider being of great value for my professional development. I acquired a unique knowledge and an overview of international energy law, that I cannot see is possible acquiring anywhere else. I have had much benefit of the programme and what I learnt in my work.
In addition to this, through the programme I got to know a great variety of outstanding and wonderful professionals in the field of energy law. We had as many good laughs as interesting discussions, leaving me with good memories both on the personal and professional level.
I certainly can recommend attending this programme to all professionals working with energy law.
Clara Greve Brett
Legal Counsel at Hess Corporation
After having worked with energy law for a number of years, I attended the Advanced LLM in Energy Law to further specialise in this field. The programme proved to be perfect for me as a postgraduate programme, as it provided an in-depth knowledge of the most critical areas of current legislation and developments, while at the same time giving an excellent overview over the energy regulation in EU as well as Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Denmark.
Energy regulation covers many fields from construction and access to…
infrastructure to production of hydrocarbons, from nuclear to renewable energy as well as traditional production methods, of which I as a lawyer in my daily work may only work with a few at a very intensive level. The Advanced LLM in Energy Law gave an invaluable understanding of all of these facets of the energy regulation.
The teaching we received was at a very high professional level and proved very practically useful in my work as a lawyer. Further, it provided me with knowledge which made it easy to relate to clients which often work cross-border in this part of the world, and I gained through the programme a knowledge which otherwise could only be achieved with great difficulty.
As the programme was divided into four intensive modules, these weeks provided an excellent opportunity to network with the other students attending the programme and the lecturers. The field trips taken during the blocks were relevant to the teaching and provided opportunity to see the sights up close and gain a greater practical understanding of for example storage sites.
Finally, the friendships made with students and lecturers, which has provided us all with an invaluable network and some good friends, will continue to be of importance to us all as we continue in our professional careers. I can highly recommend the Advanced LLM in Energy Law!