MLT Aikins: Rüdiger Tscherning Joins as Academic in Residence

• MLT Aikins LLP has appointed Dr. Rüdiger Tscherning as an academic in residence in its Calgary office, focusing on energy, mining, and natural resources.
• Dr. Tscherning, an associate professor at the University of Calgary Faculty of Law, will contribute to legal research, thought leadership, and educational initiatives.
• His role specifically excludes providing legal advice, which is reserved for the firm's practicing lawyers.
• Dr. Tscherning brings extensive experience in energy and natural resources law, including representing Canada on the OECD/NEA Working Group 5 on Nuclear Law Education.
• This appointment is part of MLT Aikins' broader strategy to enhance specialized expertise and thought leadership in key sectors.

This strategic investment in an academic in residence law firm model aims to enrich the firm's specialized expertise, particularly in the energy, mining, and natural resources sectors.

MLT Aikins LLP has announced a significant addition to its team, welcoming Dr. Rüdiger Tscherning as an academic in residence. This appointment places Dr. Tscherning within the firm's Calgary office, specifically supporting its energy and mining and natural resources groups. Dr. Tscherning, who also serves as an associate professor at the University of Calgary Faculty of Law, is expected to leverage his deep understanding of both domestic and international energy and natural resources landscapes to benefit the firm's strategic initiatives.

The firm's decision to bring in an academic of Dr. Tscherning's caliber underscores a commitment to fostering advanced legal scholarship and thought leadership. His role is designed to enhance the firm's intellectual capital in critical sectors, providing a unique blend of academic rigor and practical industry insight. This move by MLT Aikins signals a forward-thinking approach to legal practice, integrating academic expertise directly into its operational framework.

Dr. Rüdiger Tscherning's responsibilities as academic in residence at MLT Aikins will encompass a range of activities aimed at bolstering the firm's intellectual output and educational offerings. He is slated to contribute to legal research, drive thought leadership initiatives, and participate in the development and delivery of seminars, workshops, and educational sessions. Furthermore, Dr. Tscherning will facilitate academic collaborations, bridging the gap between legal scholarship and professional practice.

It is important to note that while Dr. Tscherning's contributions will be extensive, his role is strictly defined. He will not be involved in providing legal advice or services, a function exclusively reserved for the firm's practicing lawyers. This clear delineation ensures that his academic insights complement, rather than overlap with, the direct legal counsel provided by MLT Aikins. This strategic investment in an academic in residence law firm model aims to enrich the firm's specialized expertise, particularly in the energy, mining, and natural resources sectors.

Dr. Tscherning brings an impressive and diverse professional and academic background to his new role. He has previously held positions as a research fellow in corporate law at Stikeman Elliott LLP in both 2018 and 2020. His expertise also extends to nuclear energy, having served as a nuclear energy research lead and research fellow at the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy. Internationally, he has been a visiting professor at the University of Bergen Faculty of Law. Dr. Tscherning's global engagement is further highlighted by his representation of Canada on the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)/Nuclear Energy Agency’s (NEA) Working Group 5 on Nuclear Law Education for the NEA Global Forum on Nuclear Education, Science, Technology, and Policy. He has also contributed to the Association of International Energy Negotiators’ (AIEN) Education Advisory Board and its New Energies Task Force on Nuclear, demonstrating his commitment to advancing nuclear law education in Canada and beyond.

His academic achievements are equally notable. Dr. Tscherning is a prolific author and speaker on various energy and natural resources topics. In 2023, the University of Calgary recognized his efforts to internationalize its law school’s energy and private international law courses with the Howard Tidswell Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence. He also received honourable mentions for the University of Calgary's 2022 International Achievement Award and its 2020 Sustainability Teaching Award. His extensive educational qualifications include a PhD from Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, an LLM in climate change and energy law and policy from the University of Dundee’s Centre for Energy, Petroleum, and Mineral Law and Policy, a postgraduate diploma in professional legal practice from the College of Law, London (UK), an LLM in international commercial law from the University of Nottingham, and an LLB from Trinity College Dublin. He is also admitted as a solicitor by the Law Society of England and Wales.

The appointment of Dr. Rüdiger Tscherning occurs amidst other strategic expansions at MLT Aikins. The firm recently announced additional significant personnel moves, indicating a period of growth across its Western Canada operations. On August 7, 2025, Kember Handzic was welcomed into the partnership and joined the Edmonton advocacy group. Earlier that month, on August 1, 2025, Michael O’Brien became a Calgary-based partner within the firm’s litigation group. These additions collectively underscore MLT Aikins' ongoing efforts to strengthen its diverse legal teams and enhance its service capabilities across various practice areas.

This appointment signals MLT Aikins' strategic investment in enhancing its thought leadership and specialized expertise in energy, mining, and natural resources law. Lawyers and compliance officers in these sectors should monitor MLT Aikins' publications and events for insights and educational opportunities stemming from Dr. Tscherning's contributions.

Source: Original reporting via Canadian Legal Newswire.