Professor Özlem Gürses joins Tulane’s Maritime Law Program

Renowned commercial and insurance law scholar Özlem Gürses will join Tulane as a  Professor of Law, Dean Marcilynn Burke announced, bringing to the faculty one of the world’s foremost experts in marine insurance, reinsurance, and the regulation of emerging risks.

Burke said Gürses has built an international reputation for her scholarship exploring the legal frameworks that govern risk in global maritime commerce.

“Tulane Law has built one of the world’s leading programs in maritime law, and Professor Gürses’s appointment strengthens that tradition,” said Burke. “Her expertise in marine insurance and commercial risk will enrich our curriculum, expand opportunities for our students, and further solidify Tulane’s role as a global center for the study of maritime and commercial law.”

Gürses joins Tulane from King’s College London, where she has served as Professor of Commercial Law since 2020 and built an international reputation. A prolific scholar, Gürses is the author or editor of multiple major works in the field, including Marine Insurance Law, the Edward Elgar Research Handbook on Marine Insurance Law, and Insurability of Emerging Risks – Law, Theory and Practice. She also leads the fourth volume of the Edward Elgar Encyclopedia on Maritime and Oceans Law, dedicated to marine insurance.  She has also published multiple articles in top peer-reviewed law reviews in the United Kingdom.

Her research has shaped contemporary understanding of insurance law in areas ranging from offshore energy to pandemic-related losses. She has published extensively on subrogation (the legal concept of one party assuming the rights of another), proximate cause, business interruption insurance, the Insurance Act 2015, and the challenges posed by new technologies in the insurance industry. Recent work includes scholarship on the impact of technology and AI on insurance,  and government-industry partnerships for reinsuring catastrophic risks. 

“Professor Gürses is an extraordinary addition to Tulane Law,” said Chair of Maritime Law Professor Martin Davies. “Her expertise uniquely bridges maritime law, insurance innovation, and global commercial regulation—areas central to Tulane’s mission and our leadership in admiralty and international law. She brings both scholarly depth and a proven record of shaping legal conversations at the highest levels.”

Gürses holds a PhD in Law and an LLM in Maritime Law from the University of Southampton, where she later served as an Associate Professor. She earned both her LLB and an LLM in Public Law from the University of Istanbul. 

In addition to her academic appointments, Gürses plays a prominent role in international professional organizations. She serves as Vice-Chair of the British Insurance Law Association, she sits on the Presidential Council of Association of Insurance Associations (AIDA), and chairs AIDA’s Reinsurance Working Party—positions that place her at the forefront of global policy and doctrinal developments. 

Her research has been supported by competitive grants, including awards from King’s College London, the Society of Legal Scholars, and the King’s Global Partnership Fund for work on AI and insurance. Her collaborations have produced international workshops, edited volumes, and an active portfolio of ongoing research projects. 

Gürses said she looks forward to contributing to Tulane’s renowned programs in maritime law and commercial regulation. "I am delighted to be joining Tulane Law School in 2026. I look forward to teaching maritime law, engaging with the law school and the Center for Maritime Law community, and contributing my expertise in maritime and insurance law."