Laura Huomo

Partner at Bird & Bird

Speaker

Laura Huomo is a partner in Bird & Bird’s Energy and Utilities group in Helsinki and one of the firm’s most experienced advisers in gas markets, gas infrastructure and LNG-related projects. She has more than 15 years of experience covering pipeline infrastructure, gas storage and LNG terminals, and co-leads the firm’s global Oil & Gas group as well as the Hydrogen practice group. She also serves on Bird & Bird’s global energy steering group.

With 26 years of professional legal experience, including extensive work in the energy sector, Laura advises on the full regulatory and commercial framework governing gas and LNG, from EU gas market design and long term supply structures to spot and forward products, state-aid schemes for renewable gases and the evolving EU energy acquis. She has deep experience in gas and hydrogen regulation for both infrastructure and commodity markets, as well as in REMIT, the Hydrogen and Decarbonised Gas Market package, and the RFNBO, GHG and Low Carbon Hydrogen delegated acts.

Earlier in her career, Laura was seconded to Baltic Connector Oy as Chief Legal Officer, overseeing all legal aspects of the Balticconnector pipeline between Finland and Estonia—an assignment that provided direct exposure to cross-border gas transmission, EU funding compliance (CEF), and the broader gas system implications relevant also to LNG market development. Her role also included supporting Finland’s transition to an open gas market, serving as specialist secretary in the Ministry of Employment and the Economy’s committee responsible for drafting the reformed Natural Gas Act (2014–2016) and developing the market model for Finland’s liberalised gas sector.

Laura advises energy companies, TSOs, municipalities and governments across Europe on regulatory frameworks, project structuring, legal risk matrices and energy-related construction projects. She also has significant experience with EU grant compliance, including the Innovation Fund, IPCEI and the Connecting Europe Facility.