Prof John Paterson

Email: j.paterson@abdn.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1224 273888
Fax: +44 (0)1224 272442
Room: C32, Taylor Building

Professor of Law

LLB(Hons), DipLP (Aberdeen), LLM (Edinburgh), PhD (European University Institute)

Professor Paterson trained as a solicitor in the Office of the Solicitor to the Secretary of State for Scotland before pursuing an academic career. After studying at the EUI, Florence, Italy, he was a Research Assistant at the Centre de Philosophie du Droit, Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium, where he worked principally on the Governance Project with the Forward Studies Unit of the European Commission. He was Senior Lecturer and then Reader at the University of Westminster between 1998 and 2004 when he joined the University of Aberdeen as a Reader. He was appointed Professor of Law in August 2011. He co-directs the Centre for Energy Law as well as Aberdeen's involvement in the North Sea Energy Law Programme with Greg Gordon.

His research has covered systems theory, the regulation of risk, governance in the EU, corporate governance and energy law. He has been involved in a number of international projects both in research and teaching. He has provided specialist training in oil and gas law and corporate governance for the corporate sector, expert advice in international arbitration, and consultancy to international organisations. He is series editor (together with Professor Julian Webb) of the Law, Science and Society series published by Routledge-Cavendish.

Professor Paterson is interested in supervising research students working in the following areas: corporate governance, legal theory and oil and gas law.

• (Paterson J.), 'Economic System and Legal Regulation: the Challenge of Financial Crisis', in Alberto Febbrajo and Gorm Harste (eds), Law and Intersystematic Communication: Understanding 'Structural Coupling', Aldershot: Ashgate, 2013.
  ISBN 978-1-4094-2110-8
• (Paterson J.), Law’s Role in the Tension between Security and Sovereignty in the Field of Energy Resources’, in John-Andrew McNeish and Owen Logan (eds), Flammable Societies: Studies on the Socio-Economics of Oil and Gas, London: Pluto Press, 2012.
• (Paterson J.), ‘Occupational Health and Safety Law: the Oil and Gas Industry’, Environmental and Energy Law, London: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. Karen Makuch and Ricardo Pereira, ISBN: 978-1-4051-7787-0
• (Paterson J.), 'Health and Safety during Decommissioning' in Marc Hammerson (ed), Oil and Gas Decommissioning: Law, Policy and Comparative Practice, London: Globe Law and Business, 2012.
  ISBN 978-1-9057-8378-6
• (Paterson J.), ‘The Precautionary Principle: practical reason, regulatory decision making and judicial review in the context of functional differentiation’, in Law and Ecology: New Environmental Legal Foundations, pp.83-103, London: Routledge-Cavendish, 2011. A. Philippopoulos-Mihalopoulos (ed)
• (Paterson J.), The significance of regulatory orientation in occupational health and safety offshore, Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review, 38(2), pp.367-387, 2011.
• (Paterson J.), 'Law's approach to harm in the context of scientific uncertainty: observations from the perspectives of precation and indeterminate causation', in; Goldberg, R. (ed.): Perspectives on Causation , pp.383-408, Oxford: Hart Publishing, 2011.
• (Paterson J., Hunter, T. ), Offshore Petroleum Facility Integrity in Australia and the United Kingdom: A Comparative Study of Two Countries Utilising the Safety Case Regime, Oil, Gas and Energy Law Intelligence, pp.1 - 27, 2011.
• (Paterson J.), 'Decommissioning of Offshore Oil and Gas Installations', in; Paterson, J., Gordon, G., Usenmez, E: Oil and Gas Law: Current Practice and Emerging Trends , pp.285-329, Dundee University Press, 2011.
• (Paterson J.), 'Health and Safety at Work Offshore', in; Paterson, J., Gordon, G., Usenmez, E: Oil and Gas Law: Current Practice and Emerging Trends, pp.187-230, Dundee University Press, 2011.
• (Paterson J., Gordon, G.), 'Mature Province Initiatives', in; Paterson, J., Gordon, G., Usenmez, E: Oil and Gas Law: Current Practice and Emerging Trends, pp.112-136, Dundee University Press, 2011.
• (Paterson J., Gordon, G., Usenmez, E.), 'Oil and Gas Law on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf: Current Practice and Emergng Trends', in; Oil and Gas Law: Current Practice and Emerging Trends, pp.1-13, Dundee University Press, 2011.
• (Paterson J., Gordon, G., Usenmez, E.), Oil and Gas Law: Current Practice and Emerging Trends, Dundee University Press, 2011.
• (Paterson J.), Corporate Governance in India in the context of the Companies Bill 2009: Part 1: Evolution, International Company and Commercial Law Review, 21(2), pp.41-53, 2010.
• (Paterson J.), Corporate Governance in India in the context of the Companies Bill 2009: Part 2: Evaluation, International Company and Commercial Law Review, 21(3), pp.83-95, 2010.
• (Paterson J.), Corporate Governance in India in the context of the Companies Bill 2009: Part 3: Proposals, International Company and Commercial Law Review, 21(4), pp.131-143, 2010.
• (Paterson J.), Reflexive Law: challenges and choices, in Soziologische Jurisprudenz: Festschrift für Gunther Teubner, pp.503-516, De Gruyter Recht, 2009. Gralf-Peter Callies et al (eds),
• (Paterson J.), The Fact of Values, Soziale Systeme, 14, pp.68-82, 2008.

• (Paterson J.), Sustainable development, sustainable decisions and the precautionary principle, Natural Hazards, 42, pp.515-528, 2007.
• (Paterson J., Gordon G.), Oil and Gas Law - Current Practice and Emerging Trends DUP, 2007. Greg Gordon and John Paterson, eds., ISBN: 9781845860332
• (Burns T., Paterson J.), Gold Plating, Gold Standard or Base Metal? Making sense of narrative reporting after the repeal of the Operating and Financial Review Regulations, International Company and Commercial Law Review, 18(8), pp.247-260, 2007.
• (Paterson J.), Nuclear power, Encyclopedia of Law and Society: American and Global Perspectives, Sage, 2007. David S Clark ed.
• (Paterson J., Gordon G.), Mature Province Initiatives, in Oil and Gas Law - Current Practice and Emerging Trends, pp.69-93, DUP, 2007. Greg Gordon and John Paterson, eds., ISBN: 9781845860332
• (Paterson J., Gordon G.), Introduction and Context, in Oil and Gas Law - Current Practice and Emerging Trends, pp.1-10, DUP, 2007. Greg Gordon and John Paterson, eds., ISBN: 9781845860332
• (Paterson J.), Health and Safety at Work Offshore, in Oil and Gas Law - Current Practice and Emerging Trends, pp.115-148, DUP, 2007. Greg Gordon and John Paterson, eds., ISBN: 9781845860332
• (Paterson J.), Decommissioning of Offshore Installations, in Oil and Gas Law - Current Practice and Emerging Trends, pp.149-185, DUP, 2007. Greg Gordon and John Paterson, eds., ISBN: 9781845860332
• (Paterson J.), The Evolution of Occupational Health and Safety Law on the UK Continental Shelf, Northern Scotland, 27, pp.43-67, 2007.
• (Paterson J.), Reflecting on reflexive law, Luhmann on Politics and Law: Critical Appraisals and Applications, pp.13-35, Oxford: Hart, 2006. Michael King and Chris Thornhill eds.
• (Paterson J.Teubner.G.), Changing maps: empirical legal autopoesis, Socio-Legal Research Methods, pp.215-237, Oxford: Hart, 2006. R Banakar and M Travers eds.
• (Paterson J.), A note on georisk, sustainable development and law, Recent Geodynamics, Georisk and Sustainable Development in the Black Sea to Caspian Sea Region, pp.67-78, Melville: New York, 2006. A Ismail-Zadeh ed. AIP Conference Proceedings.
• (Paterson J.Jones.R., Oudiz.A., Saigusa.S., Schneider.T., Brownless.G., Ahier.B., Hara.S., Lazo.T.), Stakeholders and Radiological Protection: Lessons from Chernobyl 20 Years After, pp.85, Paris: Nuclear Energy Agency / OECD, 2006.
• (Paterson J.), National and international perspectives on oil and gas law in Kazakhstan: an introduction, Oil and Gas Law in Kazakhstan: National and International Perspectives, pp.1-21, 2004.
• (Paterson J.), Context, comparison and social capital: the role of oil and gas law in the fulfilment of Kazakhstan’s promise, Oil and Gas Law in Kazakhstan: National and International Perspectives, pp.25-50, 2004.
• (Paterson J.Bantekas I., Suleimenov M.), Oil and Gas Law in Kazakhstan: National and International Perspectives, pp.505 + xx, Dordrecht, etc: Kluwer Law International, 2004. I Bantekas, J Paterson and M Suleimenov eds.
• (Paterson J.), The ETHOS project for post-accident rehabilitation in the area of Belarus contaminated by the Chernobyl disaster, Stakeholder Participation in Decision Making Involving Radiation: Exploring Processes and Implications: Case Studies in Stakeholder Participation for the Third Villigen Workshop, pp.33-55, OECD, 2004. Nuclear Energy Agency eds.
• (Paterson J.), Science for risk reduction and sustainable development: the role of law, Risk Science and Sustainability, pp.63-76, Dordrecht, etc.: Kluwer Academic Publishers (NATO Science Series), 2003. Tom Beer and Alik Ismail-Zadeh eds.
• (Paterson J.), The Company Law review in the UK and the question of scope: theoretical concerns, practical constraints and possible new directions, Corporate Governance: an Institutionalist Approach, pp.141-183, Dordrecht, etc.: Kluwer Law International, 2003. Robert Cobbaut and Jacques Lenoble eds.
• (Paterson J.), Trans-science, trans-law and proceduralisation, Social and Legal Studies, 12(4), pp.523-543, 2003.
• (Paterson J.), Truth or dare: expertise and risk governance, Better Integration of Radiation Protection in Modern Society, pp.43-52, Paris: OECD/NEA, 2002.
• (Paterson J.De Schutter.O., Lebessis.N.), Governance in the European Union, Governance in the European Union, pp.17-25, 2001.
• (Paterson J.Lebessis.N.), Developing new modes of governance, Governance in the European Union, pp.259-294, 2001.
• (Paterson J.De Schutter O., Lebessis N.), Governance in the European Union, pp.318, Forward Studies Unit Series; Luxemburg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2001. O De Schutter, N Lebessis and J Paterson eds (also published in French).

• (Paterson J.), 'Corporate governance', les limites de la rationalité et la procéduralisation, Procéduralisation du droit et régulation démocratique, pp.365-409, Bruxelles: Bruylant, 2000. Philippe Coppens & Jacques Lenoble eds.
• (Paterson J.), Behind the Mask: Regulating Health and Safety in Britain’s Offshore Oil and Gas Industry, pp.363 + ix, Aldershot, Burlington USA, Singapore, Sydney: Ashgate-Dartmouth, 2000.
• (Paterson J.), Changing maps: empirical legal autopoiesis, Social and Legal Studies, 7(4), pp.451-486, 1999. (With Gunther Teubner).
• (Paterson J.), An introduction to Luhmann, Theory, Culture and Society, 14(1), pp.37-39, 1997. (introducing Niklas Luhmann ‘Limits of Steering’ 14(1) Theory, Culture and Society, 41-57, translated by Martin Hohlweck, edited by John Paterson).
• (Paterson J.), Who is Zenon Bankowski talking to? The person in the sight of autopoiesis, Law as Communication, pp.81-104, Aldershot: Dartmouth, 1996. D Nelken ed.

Centre for Energy Law
LLM Oil & Gas
North Sea Energy Law Program