This innovative book explores the legal character of petroleum licences, a key vehicle governing the relationship between oil companies and their host states. Examining the issue through the lens of legal culture, it illustrates why some jurisdictions exert strong state control and others only minimal.Critically investigating the nature of a petroleum licence, the book analyses whether it is a mere administrative right, a contract or something more akin to property rights. Chapters examine recent developments, such as the UK's strategy of maximizing economic recovery and the opposition to drilling for oil in Norway and Australia. Outside of Western petroleum jurisdictions, the book also explores several long-established jurisdictions including Russia and Mexico, as well as emerging jurisdictions, such as China and Uganda. Taking a contextual and system-oriented approach, it reveals the preconditions of the petroleum licence regime and offers a critical insight into the reasons behind alterations to the terms of the licences. Encompassing a wide variety of legal cultures and experiences, this thought-provoking book will prove to be a valuable resource for academics and students of energy law, particularly those with an interest in state regulation. It will also provide useful insights for industry-based practitioners.

Norway’s Supreme Court is one of the most powerful Supreme Courts in Europe. This position is in large parts due to the role and expansion of the law clerks on the Court. Beginning in 1957 with a single clerk, the number of law clerks has increased dramatically. Today, the clerks outnumber the justices, and their tasks have expanded considerably. In 1957 the task was to prepare civil appeals. Today, clerks assist in most stages of the Court’s decisional process, including the writing of the final decision. The expansion and institutionalisation of the clerk unit have enabled the justices to commence on policymaking and on developing the law. The law clerks have been key in the development of a more proactive and powerful Norwegian Supreme Court. This book is the first comprehensive study of law clerks in a European Supreme Court. It will be valuable to lawyers, historians and political scientists who care about the expanding role of courts and the impact of courts on politics, society, and the legal system.