Welcome Professor Peter Cameron to CCLS
The Centre for Commercial Law Studies is delighted to welcome Professor Peter Cameron to our academic staff as the Chair in Energy and Climate Law. Read our Q&A with Peter below to find out about his background, what excites him about joining Queen Mary, and his book recommendation for students wanting to broaden their understanding of law.
What led you to pursue a career in law?
I studied law and politics at the University of Edinburgh and became interested in energy at that time. It seemed exciting because it was international and involved in controversy. I always wanted to travel and see the world, so I chose law subjects that were not very domestic. Later, I discovered that English law is used in much international commerce, so I decided to do my pupillage in London and qualified as a barrister in England. Law demands you are careful about the words you use and always involves stories about people and events, so – if you love literature and history as I do – it is never boring.
What other institutions have you worked at before coming to Queen Mary?
I worked for 11 years at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands and learned Dutch. For a short time, I was also attached to the University of Madrid (Autonoma), but in Madrid they speak Spanish too fast, so I learned very slowly. For 5 years I was a professor at the European University Institute in Florence and loved the atmosphere, the beauty and organised some workshops which led to a book but learned only a little Italian. My last job was at Dundee in Scotland where I managed a research centre on energy law and wrote a book on energy investment law.
Queen Mary manages to be academic and also very practical and focussed on getting things done in the world. Knowledge should be useful, and Queen Mary understands that.
What excites you most about joining Queen Mary and working with our students and faculty?
The Centre for Commercial Law Studies has a fantastic reputation. It’s an honour to be a part of it. The students seem to be as enthusiastic as I am to be here in the heart of London. Queen Mary manages to be academic and also very practical and focussed on getting things done in the world. Knowledge should be useful, and Queen Mary understands that. The students too seem to be focussed on getting ready for their role as leaders of the future, and that’s exciting for me to see, and be a part of.
Are there any projects or publications you're working on that you're particularly excited about?
The main work I am doing is about how law can help to accelerate the transition to a low carbon economy. Others can do the high-level thinking. I prefer to focus on what law can contribute to making things happen in two areas: mobilising investment into clean energy and new technologies and settling peacefully the disputes and differences that often arise about energy and natural resources. Both are very challenging just now.
What’s a book or resource you would recommend to students who want to broaden their understanding of law?
That’s a hard one to answer since so many law books are like textbooks! I would recommend a memoir by Lady Hale called Spider Woman (Vintage, 2022) It’s not international in focus, but it tells the story of a woman who made a career in what was a man’s world, rising to become the President of the Supreme Court. I met her last year and found her as modest as she is famous. For all of us, she is an inspiration and shows how you can become a successful legal professional without losing your soul!
Learn more about our Energy and Climate Law Programme
To learn more about our Energy and Climate Law Programme, sign up to our webinar on April 2nd. In this webinar you will also learn about our other programmes in Maritime Law, Competition Law and Tax Law.