Tulane Law renames energy law center and appoints new executive director
Randel Young, a leading voice in global energy law and policy, has been appointed the inaugural Executive Director of the newly expanded and renamed Tulane Energy Law & Policy Center, Tulane Law School Dean Marcilynn Burke announced today.
Long recognized as a hub for international, comparative, maritime, energy, and environmental law, Tulane Law School is entering a bold new phase of energy research and academic programming. The Tulane Center for Energy Law has been renamed and expanded to reflect its broader mission and focus on both national and international issues.
Young joins Tulane from the economic consulting firm Charles River Associates, where he remains a senior consultant in the energy advisory and expert witness practice. Young will be based in Houston, bringing a new strategic Houston presence to the Center.
“We are proud to welcome Randel Young as Executive Director of the Tulane Energy Law & Policy Center,” said Burke. “Randel brings a powerful combination of industry experience, strategic insight, and a deep commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration."
Law Dean Marcilynn Burke
Prior to Charles River Associates, Young retired from the global law firm K&L Gates, where he served as practice area leader for the firm’s Energy, Infrastructure & Resources Practices and as managing partner of the Houston office.
"Randel's leadership comes at a pivotal moment as we expand Tulane’s innovative energy programming and research," Burke added. "I am confident he will elevate the Center’s global impact in identifying practical, scalable solutions for the complex energy challenges of our time.”
As Executive Director, Young will lead a newly expanded Center focused on energy law and policy in the context of addressing the “energy trilemma”: the challenge of delivering affordable, secure, and sustainable energy to a growing global population. The Center’s mission is to evaluate potentially actionable, evidence-based solutions that combine technological and commercial expertise and evaluation with sound legal and policy analysis.
The Center will operate under a joint leadership structure with Young as Executive Director and Professor Frederic “Freddy” Sourgens (L’05), the James McCulloch Chair in Energy Law, as Faculty Director. The changes underscore Tulane’s growing national reputation in energy law and policy, positioning it as a leading center for interdisciplinary energy research and a unique global forum for the discussion and evaluation of energy policy alternatives.
Both Young and Sourgens will be presenting and leading discussions during the upcoming Tulane Future of Energy Forum, Sept. 10-12 on campus. This year's Forum theme is "Powering the Future: Innovation, Competition, and Collaboration."
Professor Frederic “Freddy” Sourgens (L’05), the James McCulloch Chair in Energy Law, becomes the Center's Faculty Director.
“This dynamic team is a powerful combination of deep expertise, vision, and a commitment to innovation that reflects Tulane’s growing national prominence in energy law and policy,” Burke noted. “Their leadership will be instrumental in shaping forward-looking solutions to some of the most pressing energy challenges of our time.”
The Center receives guidance from an advisory board led by Tulane Law alumnus Randall Ebner (L’80), who previously served as General Counsel of ExxonMobil.
“Young brings more than 45 years of experience as an energy leader in both industry and law practice,” Ebner said. “His cross-border energy work has spanned North, Central and South America and the Caribbean Basin, Europe, the Middle East, North and Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Central Asia, and the Middle East.”
Young is known for his balanced experience in the electricity sector (both renewable and conventional generation, market design, distribution), oil and gas (including LNG, CCUS, fracking), energy transition, hydrogen, and mining, Ebner said.
“Randel brings exactly the kind of energy leadership and current insights the Center needs at this moment,” said Sourgens, also a Tulane Law alumnus. “His deep expertise and collaborative spirit will be instrumental as we grow Tulane’s U.S. and global energy law and policy footprint. I look forward to working with him to establish a center committed to applying practical, interdisciplinary, fact-based problem-solving approaches to the evaluation and discussion of, and possible solutions for, U.S. and global energy concerns."
Ebner also praised the appointment, calling it a defining moment for Tulane’s future in the energy sector.
"Randel and Freddy are the dream team,” said Ebner. “They have the vision and experience to organize a unique team of professionals required to deliver the fact-based and innovative approaches to energy law and policy solutions we need today. Bringing someone with Randel’s background on board is key to building what is fast becoming the leading academic energy hub.”
