Environment
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    Leading firm for environment

    Who's Who Legal Environment 2015

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    Leading firm for environment

Environment

We offer clear, commercial advice and guidance on a wide range of environmental issues including emissions, contaminated land, permitting, waste and producer responsibility legislation such as WEEE and REACH.

We advise a range of international clients including real estate developers, industrial operators and lenders.
  • Profile
  • Experience

More than ever, environmental and climate change issues are at the heart of law and policy, impacting every business sector. Failure to comply with environmental legislation can result in very significant fines, civil claims and damaging coverage in the media, meaning that compliance and risk management are critical.

Our team of specialist lawyers cover all aspects of environmental law, working closely with our clients' in-house lawyers, compliance experts and commercial decision-makers to develop clear strategies and provide robust advice.

Our expertise includes:

  • real estate: advising on the apportionment of liability for known and unknown contaminants, mitigating land contamination risks and negotiating remediation contracts
  • planning: advising on permitting and environmental impact assessment issues such as air pollution, nature conservation and noise
  • litigation: judicial and statutory reviews challenging the grant and refusal of consents and adoption of policy
  • tax: landfill taxes and climate change levy
  • construction: energy performance of buildings and noise pollution
  • product regulation: offering practical advice in relation to European legislation such as REACH, WEEE and RoHS
  • renewables: advising on the development, acquisition and funding of wind farms, solar farms, biofuel and biomass projects, waste–to-energy and gas fired power stations
  • regulation: defending criminal prosecutions and regulatory enforcement notices in relation to asbestos management and health and safety issues
  • advice: advising on appropriate site surveys and accessing environmental information.

"enthusiastic and incredibly competent."
Chambers UK 2015

US manufacturer

Acting for a large manufacturer of domestic and leisure goods, based in the USA, in relation to its compliance duties under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regime.

UK national tool and equipment hire company

Appealing the decision to refuse our client's application for a trade effluent consent to OFWAT.

Oil refinery site in the UK

Negotiating complex liability allocation mechanisms associated with environmental liabilities arising from the proposed laying of an underground electricity transmission cable through our client's high sensitive oil refinery site.

UK facilities manager

We advised our client in relation to its prosecution for alleged breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.

Circuit of Wales

Acting for the developer of the £315 million motorsport facility in relation to its application for planning permission, dealing with EIA issues such as noise, visual impacts and ecology management.

North London Waste Authority

Acting for NLWA, the body responsible for dealing with 850,000 tonnes of waste a year, in relation to its application for a development consent order and environmental permit for an Energy Recovery Facility.

Mergers and acquisitions

We have acted on numerous M&A transactions for buyers, sellers and target companies, in relation to the transfer of environmental liabilities, including complex indemnity and insurance arrangements.

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© Stephenson Harwood LLP 2016. Any reference to Stephenson Harwood in this document means Stephenson Harwood LLP and/or its affiliated undertakings. Any reference to a partner is used to refer to a member of Stephenson Harwood LLP.