Our New Co-Director: Professor Thomas Burelli

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Professors

By Environmental Law

Communication, Faculty of Law

Our New Co-Director: Professor Thomas Burelli
CELGS is very pleased to announce that Professor Thomas Burelli has been appointed as Co-Director.

A long-time member of CELGS, Prof. Burelli brings a wealth of experience, enthusiasm and innovation to the Centre, including expertise in environmental law, intellectual property, Indigenous peoples’ rights and ethics, biopiracy, and decolonizing the relationship between scientists and Indigenous communities. He is also a great innovator in teaching methodologies, working alongside Dr. Alexandre Lillo as co-chairs of the Research Chair in Teaching Innovation.

Prof. Burelli holds a Ph.D in Law from the University of Ottawa (2019), an LL.M in Law from the University of Ottawa (2008), an MA in anthropology of law from the University of Paris I (2009) and a Master's of Industrial Property from the University of Paris 8 (2012).

As part of his research, Prof. Burelli has carried out several missions in French overseas territories (French Guyana, French Polynesia and New Caledonia). He has contributed alongside the Fondation France libertés – Danielle Mitterrand to reveal several cases of biopiracy (notably those involving Faux Tabac and Quassia Amara). With Tamatoa Bambridge (a researcher at the French National Centre for Scientific Research – CNRS), he also drafted the first French ethical code for research involving Indigenous and local populations.

We know that Prof. Burelli will bring his vast energy and creativity to the Centre. We are so pleased that CELGS now has joint leadership in the Civil Law and Common Law!