Prof. Dr. Sudhir Chopra

Professional profile

Prof. Dr. Sudhir Chopra serves as Principal Advisor for TLGS’s Europe, Belgium and Luxembourg remit. Based in Luxembourg, he supports European business development, institutional relationships and international collaboration. His perspective draws on an extensive career across international law, environmental governance, higher education and public institutions in Europe, India and North America.

He was a Law Fellow (Professorial) of the Cambridge Central Asia Forum at the University of Cambridge from February 2007 to June 2019. His earlier Cambridge associations included the Lauterpacht Centre for Research in International Law and the Scott Polar Research Institute during 2004–2005, followed by Wolfson College and the Centre of International Studies during 2005–2007. These are former academic associations, complementing his wider international experience.

His European teaching appointments have included the University of Luxembourg, the University of Newcastle in the United Kingdom, Riga Graduate School of Law in Latvia and Central European University in Hungary. He has also lectured at KU Leuven in Belgium. In 2006, he held the Piet Gilhuis Chair on the Future of Environmental Law at Tilburg University in the Netherlands.

In India, he served as Professor of Law at the University of Calcutta from 2007 to 2013 and at the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, during 1998–1999, and as Lecturer in Law at the Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi, in 1981. His teaching experience also extends to the University of California, Irvine; Thomas Jefferson College of Law, San Diego; Valparaiso University, Indiana; and the University of the West Indies.

His public-service and practice experience includes work as the first Environmental Law Officer in India’s Ministry of Environment and subsequent work with the US Environmental Protection Agency in Dallas. During 1984–1986, he worked on the Union Carbide Bhopal litigation with the law offices of Kelley Drye & Warren in New York. This experience connects policy analysis with the institutional and commercial consequences of complex environmental questions.

At the American Society of International Law, his responsibilities included chairing the Antarctica Group from 1984 to 1994 and the Wildlife Law Group from 1986 to 1994, followed by service as co-chair of the latter until 2004. His publications include The Antarctic Legal Regime, International Environmental Law and, with Anthony D’Amato, Whales: Their Emerging Right to Life. His supplied academic record also includes editorial-board service with International Legal Materials and the Journal of International Wildlife Law.

His qualifications include an LL.M. from Dalhousie University, a J.D. from Northwestern University and a Ph.D. in Intellectual History from the University of Lucknow, where he also completed his earlier degrees. His professional record includes advocacy in India since 1976, membership of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in the United Kingdom and Fellowship of the Royal Geographical Society.

At TLGS, he applies this international perspective to Europe-facing market development, specialist partnerships, sustainability-related questions and institutional engagement. His role is to connect regional knowledge and informed legal-policy analysis with clearly scoped commercial and advisory requirements, in coordination with the New Delhi team.

Experience & distinction

• Principal Advisor — Europe, Belgium & Luxembourg; based in Luxembourg
• Former Law Fellow (Professorial), Cambridge Central Asia Forum, University of Cambridge, 2007–2019
• Teaching and research experience across Europe, India and North America
• Former Environmental Law Officer, Ministry of Environment, India; experience with the US EPA
• International environmental law, institutional governance and cross-border collaboration
• LL.M., Dalhousie University; J.D., Northwestern University; Ph.D., University of Lucknow