Maritime Legal Expert

Type of contract: Independent consultancy (service contract at a day rate)

Location: Remote

Period: December 2026 – March 2027

Level of effort: Up to 30 working days, about five days a month

Application deadline: 15 November 2026

About Razom We Stand

Razom We Stand turns documented evidence into binding European law. We are a European energy and policy organisation, founded in Ukraine in 2022, working across Brussels, Kyiv and London. Our work spans two goals: ending Russian fossil fuel revenues and building the renewable, electrified system that replaces them.

Background

Razom We Stand is implementing a project to close enforcement gaps in the EU and UK sanctions regimes on Russian LNG, producing designation dossiers for EU and UK authorities and public reports on sanctions circumvention.

Several EU member states have detained, boarded or confiscated shadow-fleet and Russian-linked vessels, and court decisions have not all gone the same way. At the same time, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) protects freedom of navigation and flag-state jurisdiction. Credible advocacy must address this tension directly.

Objective

We are seeking an independent maritime legal expert to assess what EU coastal states can lawfully do against the shadow fleet and to develop legal arguments and recommendations that Razom We Stand can put to coastal member states and EU institutions.

Scope of the assignment

The selected expert will:

• Review and analyse court and administrative decisions in EU member states concerning the detention, boarding, seizure or confiscation of shadow-fleet and Russian-linked vessels.
• Assess the scope of coastal-state jurisdiction under UNCLOS and customary international law, balanced against freedom of navigation and flag-state rights.
• Identify credible legal grounds on which EU member states can act against sanctioned vessels, together with the main counter-arguments and litigation risks.
• Develop practical legal and policy recommendations for coastal EU member states and EU institutions.
• Provide an expert assessment of the LNG-tanker sale notification rule introduced in the 21st sanctions package, including options to strengthen it.
• Deliver two online training sessions to build the legal capacity of Razom We Stand’s analysts.

Required qualifications

• Admission as a lawyer in good standing (EU/EEA, UK or another recognised jurisdiction), specialising in maritime law, with at least seven years’ post-qualification experience.
• Demonstrated experience in EU and/or UK sanctions law, including listing criteria and enforcement.
• Knowledge of ship registries and flag-state law, ship ownership and management structures, and P&I and marine insurance.
• Ability to assess the evidential weight of open-source and AIS-derived material.
• Fluent professional English and reading knowledge of Ukrainian
• Availability of about five days a month and capacity to respond within five working days.

How to apply

Please send a written quote to contact@razomwestand.org by 15 November 2026, including:

• CV and proof of admission
• Two anonymised examples of relevant work
• Day rate in EUR, confirmed as inclusive of taxes and expenses
• Availability from November 2026 to March 2027
• A note of no more than one page outlining your proposed approach

Use the email subject line: MLE | Surname | Country of residence.

Selection

Razom We Stand will compare at least three quotes, assessed in order of importance on qualifications and relevant experience; availability and turnaround; proposed approach; and price. We expect to complete selection by 26 November 2026.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Razom We Stand is committed to equal opportunity: we select on merit and welcome applications from every background.