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Luke Butler

Professor of Public Procurement Law & Regulation and Director, Executive Programme in Public Procurement Law & Policy, Faculty of Social Sciences

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Biography

Luke R.A. Butler is Professor of Public Procurement Law & Regulation, Director of the UK's only Executive Programme in Public Procurement Law and Policy, and joint General Editor of the globally renowned Public Procurement Law Review. Professor Butler is an international authority on defence and security procurement regulation and works as a consultant to Ministries of Defence, international organisations, and industry in this highly specialised field. His publications include many books and articles. In the context of international trade, works include Transatlantic Defence Procurement: EU and US Defence Procurement Regulation in the Transatlantic Defence Market (Cambridge University Press, 2017). Domestically, he is a leading expert on defence contract pricing regulation. More generally, Professor Butler maintains an interest in UK public procurement regulation, his most recent work being a co-authored monograph on The Marketisation of Framework Agreements in the UK (Hart 2025). He is currently the Head of the UK Public Procurement Law Unit within the Public Procurement Research Group.

Expertise Summary

Professor Butler has developed a particular niche in defence and security procurement regulation and is a trusted international "go to" on complex legal, policy and practical issues in the field, including reform. He maintains a successful specialist consultancy advising Ministries of Defence in a range of allied countries, as well international organisations and industry, and provides bespoke studies, reports and training (to law firms and other organisations). If you wish to discuss consultancy opportunities, please email him directly or through Nottingham University Consultants.

Professor Butler's research has been returned in two REF exercises and been funded by the AHRC, ESRC, British Academy/Leverhulme Trust and industry. He is a member of the UKRI Talent Peer Review College and AHRC Peer Review College and regularly acts as a peer reviewer for leading journals. He currently supervises PhDs by a number of practitioners (partners in international law firms, civil servants in central government departments and other senior procurement professionals).

Professor Butler is deeply committed to outside engagement on defence procurement issues. He has taught on specialist courses at the UK Defence Academy, given seminars by kind invitation on the George Washington University Government Procurement Law Program, and taught sessions on the University of Adelaide's Defence Contracting Law Course.

In addition to established expertise in UK, EU and international regulation, he is developing a particular interest in defence procurement and its regulation in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries (e.g. Saudi Arabia, UAE etc) and welcomes opportunities to provide training, studies, and PhD supervision in these jurisdictions.

Professor Butler was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2009 (currently non-practising) and is a member of the UK Procurement Lawyers' Association. He has a PhD in international defence procurement regulation, graduated with honours (First Class) and Distinction in his undergraduate and postgraduate studies, and was the recipient of various academic and vocational prizes for performance.

Teaching Summary

Luke has a strong teaching background in private law. In respect of module convenorship, since 2012, Luke has undertaken responsibility as module convenor of Trusts and Equity at three leading… read more

Recent Publications

  • LUKE R A BUTLER and CHRISTOPHER MACE, 2025. Towards effective contract management? Contract performance assessments under the Procurement Act 2023 Public Procurement Law Review. 2, 73-142
  • LUKE R A BUTLER, 2024. Defence Procurement Regulation in the United Kingdom: A Silent Soldier in the March for Procurement Reform. In: Reforming Public Procurement Law: Liber Amicorum in Honour of Sue Arrowsmith Hart.
  • LUKE R A BUTLER and REBECCA REES, 2024. Using the Right Procurement Procedures: Selecting Competitive Award Procedures under the Procurement Act 2023 Public Procurement Law Review. (In Press.)
  • LUKE R A BUTLER and STEVEN BRUNNING, 2024. Scoping Coverage of Above—Threshold Contracts in the Procurement Act 2023: Towards Uniformity, Simplification and Flexibility Public Procurement Law Review. 33(4), 192-256

Luke has a strong teaching background in private law. In respect of module convenorship, since 2012, Luke has undertaken responsibility as module convenor of Trusts and Equity at three leading universities (Bristol, Birmingham and Nottingham). Luke has also created and convened UG final year optional modules on Commercial Law, Foundations of Business Law (delivered to non-law students in economics, finance and management) and Dissertations. At PG level, Luke has created and convened modules on International Public Contract Law, EU and WTO Public Procurement Law, and Corruption. In respect of lecturing and tutoring, Luke has taught every subject for a qualifying law degree (Contract Law, Tort Law, Trusts Law, Public Law, Land Law, Criminal Law and EU Law) as well as a range of other modules (Introduction to Law, Legal Connections, Legal Communication). At PG level, Luke has taught International Sale of Goods and Carriage of Goods by Sea. Luke has been an External Examiner at the University of Nottingham and is currently External Examiner at Bangor University.

  • LUKE R A BUTLER and CHRISTOPHER MACE, 2025. Towards effective contract management? Contract performance assessments under the Procurement Act 2023 Public Procurement Law Review. 2, 73-142
  • LUKE R A BUTLER, 2024. Defence Procurement Regulation in the United Kingdom: A Silent Soldier in the March for Procurement Reform. In: Reforming Public Procurement Law: Liber Amicorum in Honour of Sue Arrowsmith Hart.
  • LUKE R A BUTLER and REBECCA REES, 2024. Using the Right Procurement Procedures: Selecting Competitive Award Procedures under the Procurement Act 2023 Public Procurement Law Review. (In Press.)
  • LUKE R A BUTLER and STEVEN BRUNNING, 2024. Scoping Coverage of Above—Threshold Contracts in the Procurement Act 2023: Towards Uniformity, Simplification and Flexibility Public Procurement Law Review. 33(4), 192-256
  • LUKE R A BUTLER, 2023. Single Source Contract Regulation Reform under the UK Procurement Act: A Regulatory Weapon in the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy’s Arsenal Public Procurement Law Review. 32(4), NA168-212
  • LUKE R A BUTLER, 2023. In Vitro Diagnostic Test Procurement During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learnt and Recommendations
  • LUKE R A BUTLER, DANIEL E SCHOENI and MARTIN TRYBUS, 2023. Editorial: A Special Issue on The Emerging Impact of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine on Defence Procurement in Europe Public Procurement Law Review. (In Press.)
  • LUKE R A BUTLER, 2023. The UK’s Defence Procurement Response to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: Steady as She Goes Public Procurement Law Review. (In Press.)
  • LUKE R A BUTLER, 2022. Transforming Public Procurement in the United Kingdom: Regulating for Open and Transparent Contracting Public Procurement Law Review. 31(3), 120-168
  • LUKE R A BUTLER, MICHAEL BOWSHER and CHRISTOPHER YUKINS, 2022. No Man Is An Island In Defense Procurement: Developments In EU Defense Procurement Regulation And Its Implications For The U.S. The Government Contractor. Vol. 64(No. 43),
  • LUKE R A BUTLER, 2022. Corporation Tax Relief in UK Single Source Defence Contracts: Offsetting Research and Development Expenditure Credit in Determining Allowable Costs Public Procurement Law Review. (In Press.)
  • SUE ARROWSMITH, LUKE R A BUTLER, ANNA LA CHIMIA and CHRISTOPHER R YUKINS, 2021. Public Procurement in (A) Crisis: Global Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic Hart. (In Press.)
  • LUKE R A BUTLER, 2021. ‘Regulating Single Source Procurement in Emergency Situations in the Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Issues in Policy and Practice’. In: Public Procurement in (A) Crisis: Global Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic (In Press.)
  • SUE ARROWSMITH and LUKE R A BUTLER, 2021. ‘Emergency Procurement and Regulatory Responses to COVID-19: the case of the United Kingdom’. In: Public Procurement in (A) Crisis: Global Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic (In Press.)
  • SUE ARROWSMITH and LUKE R A BUTLER, 2021. ‘The Experiences and Lessons of the Covid-19 Pandemic: Public Procurement Regulation in (a) Crisis?’. In: Public Procurement in (A) Crisis: Global Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic (In Press.)
  • ALICE MANZINI, LUKE R A BUTLER and MARTIN TRYBUS, 2021. L R A Butler, A Man‘Centralised Purchasing Bodies in the UK’. In: M Comba, R Caranta and A S Graells (eds) Centralised Purchasing within the EU Edward Elgar. (In Press.)
  • LUKE R A BUTLER, 2021. ‘Public Procurement and Petroleum Contracts – Setting Aside International Commercial Arbitration Awards on Grounds of Public Policy: Betamax Ltd v State Trading Corporation’ Public Procurement Law Review. (In Press.)
  • LUKE R A BUTLER, 2021. ‘Meeting the Threshold for Effective Regulation? The Rationale and Reform of Qualifying Contract Thresholds under the Single Source Contract Regulations’ (2021) Public Procurement Law Review Public Procurement Law Review. (In Press.)
  • LUKE R. A. BUTLER, 2020. Guidance to NHS trusts, NHS foundation trusts and clinical commissioning groups on the Cabinet Office Procurement Policy Note PPN 02/20 Public Procurmeent Law Review. 162-168
  • LUKE R A BUTLER, 2020. Procurement Policy Note—Recovery and Transition from COVID-19, Action Note PPN 04/20 Public Procurement Law Review. 228-233
  • LUKE R A BUTLER, 2020. Defence Procurement Policy Note 01/20 Responding to COVID-19—Defence Update to CO PPN 01/20; Defence Procurement Policy Note 02/20 Responding to COVID-19—Defence Update to CO PPN 02/20; and Covid-19 Defence Furlough and Interim Payment Policy Note Public Procurement Law Review. 215-227
  • LUKE R A BUTLER and ROBERT ALLEN, 2020. Governing Compliance with Public Procurement Law: A View from Inside the Ministry of Defence Public Procurement Law Review. 301-333
  • LUKE R A BUTLER, 2020. Pricing Contracts Affected by COVID-19: Single Source Regulations Office Note on Single Source Defence Contracts Public Procurement Law Review. 29(6), 265-280
  • LUKE R.A. BUTLER, 2019. Responsible public procurement: towards a public service contract regulator? Public Procurement Law Review. 5, 198-208
  • LUKE R.A. BUTLER, 2019. Single Source Wars, The Saga Continues 2: The Single Source Contract (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2018 Public Procurement Law Review. 3, 71-86
  • LUKE R.A. BUTLER, 2019. Single Source Wars: The Saga Continues Public Procurement Law Review. 1, 28-38
  • TONY PROSSER and LUKE R. A. BUTLER, 2018. Rail Franchises, Competition and Public Service Modern Law Review. 81(1), 23-50
  • LUKE R.A. BUTLER, 2018. An Inspection of Rail Franchise Procurement: First-Class Regulation for Privatised Passenger Rail? Public Procurement Law Review. 27(6), 251-278
  • LUKE R.A. BUTLER, 2017. Transatlantic Defence Procurement: EU and US Defence Procurement Regulation in the Transatlantic Defence Market Cambridge University Press.
  • MARTIN TRYBUS and LUKE R.A. BUTLER, 2017. The Internal Market and National Security: Harmonisation, Impact and Reform of the EU Directive on Intra-EU Transfers of Defence Products Common Market Law Review. 54(2), 403-442
  • 2017. Review of The Law of Collaborative Defence Procurement in the European Union by Baudouin Heuninckx (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2016) Common Market Law Review.
  • ALBERT SANCHEZ GRAELLS, PEDRO TELLES and LUKE R.A. BUTLER, 2016. Exclusion and Qualitative Selection of Economic Operators under Public Procurement Procedures: A Comparative View on Selected Jurisdictions. In: MARTIN BURGI, MARTIN TRYBUS and STEEN TREUMER, eds., Qualification, Selection and Exclusion in EU Procurement DJOF (Copenhagen). 245-274
  • LUKE R.A. BUTLER, 2016. Exclusion, Qualification and Selection in the UK under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. In: MARTIN BURGHI, MARTIN TRYBUS and STEEN TREUMER, eds., Qualification, Selection and Exclusion in EU Procurement DJOF (Copenhagen). 189-243
  • LUKE R.A. BUTLER, 2015. Review of European Defence Cooperation in EU Law and IR Theory, by Tom Dyson and Theodore Konstadinides (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013), xviii + 256 pp. inc. index, hardback, £57.50, ISBN: 9781137281296 European Law Review. 40(2), 299-302
  • PEDRO TELLES and LUKE R.A. BUTLER, 2014. Public Procurement Award Procedures in Directive 2014/24/EU. In: FRANCOIS LICHERE, ROBERTO CARANTA and STEEN TREUMER, eds., Novelties in the 2014 Directive on Public Procurement DFOJ (Copenhagen). 131-184
  • LUKE R.A. BUTLER, 2014. A Uniform Approach to Innovation in Public Procurement in the Innovation Union?. In: FRANCOIS LICHERE, ROBERTO CARANTA and STEEN TREUMER, eds., Novelties in the 2014 Directive on Public Procurement DJOF (Copenhagen). 337-385
  • LUKE R.A. BUTLER, 2013. Review of J. Cibinic, R. C. Nash and C. R. Yukins, Formation of Government Contracts and J. Cibinic, R. C. Nash and K. R. O' Brien-DeBakey, Competitive Negotiation: The Source Selection Process Public Procurement Law Review. 1, 45-48
  • LUKE R.A. BUTLER, 2013. Review of S. Hobe, M. Hofmannova, J Wouters (eds.) A Coherent European Procurement Law and Policy for the Space Sector: Towards a Third Way, Cologne Studies International and European Law, Lit, Volume 22 Public Procurement Law Review. 5, 206-209
  • LUKE R.A. BUTLER, 2012. Below Threshold and Annex IIB Services Contracts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland: A Common Law Approach. In: ROBERTO CARANTA and DACIAN DRAGOS, eds., Outside the Directives, Inside the Treaty?: Public Procurement Below Thresholds and Annex IIB Services DJOF (Copenhagen). 283-334
  • LUKE R.A. BUTLER, 2010. Review of Trust Funds under International Law – Trustee Obligations of the United Nations and International Development Banks by Ilias Bantekas, T.M.C. Asser Press, 2009, 320 pp. inc. Hard Cover International and Comparative Law Quarterly. 59(4), 1175-1176
  • LUKE R.A. BUTLER, 2010. Review of EU Counter-Terrorist Policies and Fundamental Rights: The Case of Individual Sanctions by Christina Eckes, Oxford, OUP, 2009, xxxiv + 478pp. inc. Hard Cover European Law Review. 35, 737-740
  • SUE ARROWSMITH, LUKE R A BUTLER and ANNAMARIA LA CHIMIA, 'General Introduction’. In: Public Procurement in (A) Crisis: Global Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic Hart. (In Press.)
  • LUKE R A BUTLER, COVID-19 and the Single Source Contract Regulations: The Extent to which Unanticipated Staff and Storage Costs under a Firm-priced Qualifying Defence Contract (as Amended) are Allowable Costs Public Procurement Law Review.
  • LUKE R A BUTLER and STEVEN BRUNNING, The Marketisation of Framework Agreements in the UK: Practice, Regulation and Reform Hart Publishing. (In Press.)

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