Shepherd and Wedderburn to play prominent role at water summit

Nine hundred experts, including government representative, lawyers, regulators, environmental engineers and economists will converge at the fifteenth World Water Congress at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) between 25-29 May.

Shepherd and Wedderburn will play a ‘prominent role’ at the Congress, says the firm.

Its members will either attend, speak or chair panel discussions, one of which will examine the roles of regulation and competition.

A special panel session called The search for legitimacy: the roles of regulation and competition is chaired by the firm and will welcome contributions from Shepherd and Wedderburn partners Gordon Downie and Liz McRobb.

The session looks at links between the OECD water governance initiative and the development of economic regulation and competition in the water sector in the UK, and will also examine the potential for these approaches to be developed in other jurisdictions.

The law firm is also hosting a raft of relating briefings and seminars at its own offices, located next door to the EICC.

Gordon Downie, who is also Shepherd and Wedderburn’s head of energy and natural resources, said: “This is a unique opportunity to share and exchange ideas with leaders in the fields of water governance and regulation. The work we have been doing in the UK on water competition offers a possible blueprint for other jurisdictions.

“We are looking forward to making valuable new links during the week of the Congress.”