Virginie Tassin Campanella

Recently named ‘Avocat de l’océan’ by the leading French economic journal, Les Echos, Dr. Tassin Campanella is Avocat à la Cour (Paris Bar, 2016), EU/EFTA Attorney-at-law (Zürich Bar, 2020) and double Doctor in Law (Sorbonne & Melbourne, 2010).

Award Winning Attorney (Outstanding Leadership 2022), Prominent Woman in International Law (World Law Alliance, 2023) and Award Winning Researcher in the Law of the sea (INDEMER Monaco 2011, ESDHC Brazil 2015), she is the Founder and Managing Director of the Law Firm “VTA Tassin”, the first Public International Law firm dedicated to Oceans and Seas (created in 2016) advising the private sector, start-ups, investors, foundations, associations, NGOs, international and regional organisations, and States on ocean law & policy issues raised by marine activities and marine resources.

The firm has a specific focus on marine management and protection, as well as the regulation of ocean science, technology & innovation. To fully assist a wide spectrum of ocean actors, the firm provides legal & policy advice; communication advice; assessments, positioning & deployment strategies of products, services, actions and partnerships;  as well as capacity building and project creation. With a in depth experience of the Science-Policy-Business nexus, VTA Tassin is proud to have make international law useful and of value to business development and ocean governance.

The portfolio of the firm includes the whole range of ocean actors from Blue Economy/Ocean & Space sectors on topics such as Ocean data; Ocean Observation (satellite and in situ); Natural Resources Use & Management (Sea + Space); Deep sea mining; Sustainable shipping; Sustainability Law; Fisheries and oil cooperation in conflict zones; Maritime Boundaries; Marine Environmental Security; Ocean Trade / Trade and Environment (fisheries, plastic, biodiversity, food systems); Access, management and use of marine Biodiversity (incl. Genetic resources) ;  Creation/transformation of International or Regional Organizations; Transboundary pollution; Ocean Governance and Blue Diplomacy.

Dr. Tassin Campanella regularly acts as legal expert before International Organisations, including the EU, the WB, the IHO, IOC-UNESCO & GEBCO, the IUCN Fr. Committee and IUCN World (Ocean Group).

Former Associate Legal Officer of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), Dr. Tassin Campanella worked on the 2011 Seabed Advisory Opinion, the 2012 Bangladesh/Myanmar case and case 18 and 19.

She is also Vice President of the Scientific Council of the Law of the Sea Economic Institute of Monaco (INDEMER),  International Counsel to the Brazilian Law of the Sea Institute (IBDMAR), and Member of Organizing Committee of KHAS Law of the Sea Academy (Turkey).

With +30 articles and 3 books in the Law of the Sea (The extension of the continental shelf 2013, Guide to the Navigation of Marine Biological Diversity 2017 (co-ed with A. Paiva Toledo), and Routledge Handbook on Seabed Mining & the Law of the Sea, forthcoming 2024),  she is often invited as a guest professor and high profile conferences around the world.