Profile

Michael M. O'Connor LL.B., LL.M (Cantab.), is a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England & Wales (1994); and a Solicitor of the High Court of Ireland (2000). He was formerly a senior partner at one of Ireland's leading law firms, where he was head of the Energy & Natural Resources practice, which he founded in 1999. His thesis 'Power in the Wind' The Role of Law, Policy and Regulation in the Promotion and Development of Wind Energy: The Uncertain Pursuit of Ireland's 2020 Renewable Electricity Target as a Case Study' submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Law at Trinity College Dublin was accepted as it stands in April 2018. He lectures at Trinity College Dublin on the subject of Energy Law.

Michael specialises in: Energy & Utility Regulation, Energy & Climate Change Policy, Renewable Energy, Oil & Gas, Electricity, Privatisations, Project Finance and Infrastructure Finance. He has almost three decades of experience of advising on major national and international energy and infrastructure projects in Europe, the Middle East & West Africa. His experience includes acting for regulators, governments, sponsors, funders and contractors on oil and gas field developments, major electricity projects, gas and electricity market reform, renewable energy, gas and electricity trading and privatisations. He is ranked by legal directories Chambers Europe, European Legal 500, PLC "Which Lawyer?" and IFLR 1000 as one of the leading project finance and energy lawyers in Ireland. Michael is a member of the International Bar Association and the Energy Institute. He is a frequent speaker at Energy and Natural Resources and Privatisations conferences and regularly contributes articles to specialist publications.