Lea Diestelmeier is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law. Below is a short interview, inquiring about her research and teaching role in the Faculty.

What is your specific academic background, and what are your research interests?

My background is in European law with a specialization in energy and climate law, which was offered as a specialization which led me to my PhD research on ‘smart electricity grids’. Since then, climate change and geopolitical conflicts over energy resources and infrastructure further urge to accelerate the energy transition and it became my main motivation to contribute to this societal challenge from a legal perspective. My research focus is on EU energy law and in particular electricity sector regulation and decentral solutions for the energy transition. This includes, for example, the changing role of energy consumers and the stake of citizens in the energy sector, and alternative communal organisations participating in activities related to energy, often named ‘energy communities’. With this focus I aim to extend beyond the implementation of new technologies and also to research how the energy transition can not only be a transition from fossil to renewable fuels, but also one of organizational structures, from more top-down to bottom-up approaches, ideally facilitating a more just and democratic energy system.

Do you currently work on any specific research projects?

At the moment, I am working together with inspiring colleagues on several research projects which involve the concept ‘energy communities’, focusing for example on public participation, mobility, consumer protection, and data use.

What courses do you teach within the Faculty?

Within the Faculty of Law, I am teaching within the Energy and Climate Law LLM programme, including coordinating and teaching the course Energy Market Law, which addresses various aspects of energy market regulation with a focus on the EU, lecturing in the courses Energy Law and Policy and Climate Law, and supervising master theses. I am also involved in teaching in the interdisciplinary, university-wide minor programme on energy.

What do you enjoy teaching about these courses?

The most intriguing part of teaching for me is to trigger curiosity about a specific topic and to train skills for following that curiosity in an academic way, so formulating questions and methods to answer them. In this way, I can also learn from the students who usually have diverse backgrounds and interests.

How are the programmes you teach in unique compared to similar programmes elsewhere?

I believe our LLM programme is unique as it combines energy and climate law and it addresses the regulation of conventional energy sources as well as renewables. The focus is on the EU, but we also include comparative elements with other jurisdictions around the globe.

What career prospects do you think there could be for students who pursue careers in your specific legal field of expertise?

Energy and climate aspects are relevant for a variety of organisations and entities at different governance levels. Graduates can work as in-house lawyer in an energy company, as an energy expert for major law firms or can strive for a career as an energy lawyer in governmental institutions and ministries, inter- and non-governmental organizations and academic institutions.

Do you have any advice for students interested in pursuing your same field of legal expertise? (this doesn't mean academia specifically, but in your field overall)

Follow your curiosity, reach out, and speak to people.

- Interview by: Dr. Chris Brennan, Marketing Advisor, Faculty of Law

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Interested in more information about our Energy and Climate Law LLM programme? You can ask questions directly to the Faculty by filling out our information request form.