Eiríkur S. Svavarsson
Partner, Attorney at law
eirikur@viklaw.is
I. Working experience
2006 – Partner
Practising attorney for companies, government, institutions and other entities.
Partner VÍK Law Firm, Reykjavik.
Energy law, financial law, international business agreements, company law, competition law, EU law, Court representation. The law firm handles various cases on international level and negotiations for its clients.
2010 –
Founder of Northern Green Energy ehf.
Consultancy for energy companies and financial institutions on green renewables, working on investment options in the energy sector in Europe and Iceland.
2004-2006 Landsvirkjun
Head of sales and marketing. Landsvirkjun power company (www.lv.is). Negotiations, contracts, implementation of EU energy law into Icelandic legal system. Constructed and implemented with other energy companies green electricity scheme for the Icelandic electricity market.
2006-2008, 2013-2015 University of Iceland and Reykjavik University:
Part-time lecturer in Energy Law.
1999 –2003 Reykjavík City Attorney:
Engaged as attorney for municipal enterprises and city administration:
Court representation, advisory, composing legal documents, competition claims, labour law and negotiations for various municipal bodies and institutions of City of Reykjavík.
II. Liberalisation of the capital controls in Iceland 2013-2015
Appointed by the Prime Minister of Iceland in November 2013 to advisory board of 6 persons, which all are leading experts on the economy, law and the financial sectors in Iceland. The task was to create a holistic solutions following the collapse of the Iceland‘s financial system in 2008. The collapsed banks alone amounted to the third largest fall of a financial institution world-wide in history. The board composed and formulated the liberalisation process of the capital controls in Iceland, including the goals of the authorities, step by step plan and the message and policy of Icelandic authorities in the process. This plan was approved by the government of Iceland. Following this work I was appointed by the Minister of Finance in July 2014 to an execution board of four people and thereby managing the execution of the liberalisation process of capital controls. In this work I had close co-operation with the Central bank of Iceland, leading experts like Anne Krueger, economist and former deputy director of IMF and Lee C Buchheit, lawyer and senior partner at Gleary Gottlieb, Hamilton & Steen. This work has now leaded to a solution of the fallen banks through composition agreements and solved other fundamental issues for paving the way to uplift the controls off the Icelandic economy in the year 2016 and 2017.
III. Accomplishments
2011
Admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court.
2010
Rewarded „distinguished metal” for work on interests of great social importance through the work of InDefence group.
2009
Spokesman and a leader in the InDefence group, grassroots’ organisation.
2002
Authentication as a real-estate agent
1999
Completed qualifying exams and accepted as Attorney at Law.
IV. Education
2003-2004
Graduated from University of Manchester, UK, LL.M International Business Law. “Distinction”
1993-1998:
Completed Master degree (Magister Juris) at the University of Iceland, Faculty of Law with „1st Degree honour ship“.
1988-1993:
Senior school studies, Reykjavík Grammar School. Matriculation.
V. Committees and society positions
2010-2014
Member of the Planning Committee for Gardabaer municipality.
2012-2016
Law Committee of the Icelandic Bar Association.
2008
Member of Rotary International.
2006-2014
Member of Board in various companies.
2001
Member of the principal election monitoring committee for referendum on the future of Reykjavík City Airport.
1995-1996
Secretary of Icelandic division of European Law Students’ Association (ELSA).