Environmental Law

Protection of IP is essential for clean energy advances

By Legal Week | October 20, 2009

In December, world leaders are meeting in Copenhagen to agree a strategy to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change. The success of any strategy will ultimately depend upon the development and dissemination of clean technology throughout the world. As a result, world leaders are coming under intense pressure to relax patent protection to facilitate the transfer of clean technology to the developing world. However, it is questionable whether such a move would really promote the use of clean technology.

1 minute read

Ashurst grows Abu Dhabi presence with corporate partner transfer

By Legal Week | October 7, 2009

Ashurst has added a partner to its Abu Dhabi base with the relocation of City corporate specialist Nick Williamson. Williamson joined the top 10 UK firm's Middle East practice last month, becoming the third partner in Abu Dhabi alongside projects partner and office head David Wadham and real estate partner Matthew Hooton.

1 minute read

McDermott boosts London energy with Dentons partner hire

By Legal Week | October 2, 2009

McDermott Will & Emery has made its third lateral hire in a month, bringing in an energy partner from Denton Wilde Sapte. David Birchall, whose work focuses on deals in the electricity, trading and carbon sectors, will become the eleventh London partner in McDermott's global energy practice. His start date is yet to be confirmed.

1 minute read

Renewable energy: Reaping the whirlwind

By Legal Week | September 23, 2009

The UK has an obligation under the EU Renewables Directive to derive 15% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. Depending on level of take-up of renewables for transport, heating, etc, this equates to approximately 32% of the UK's electricity being generated from renewable sources by 2020. Offshore wind energy is expected to provide a large share of this increase in renewable generation capacity.

1 minute read

Renewable energy: The power players

By Legal Week | September 23, 2009

"Renewables is moving from boutique to industrial," says Ian Fairclough, legal counsel for renewables and generation at power company E.ON, citing the London Array wind farm, currently under development in the Thames Estuary as an example of the larger breed of projects that are redefining the sector. London Array will become the world's largest wind farm with an output of around 1,000 megawatts (MW) - of similar capacity to a small nuclear or gas-fired power station.

1 minute read

Renewable energy: Critical mass

By Legal Week | September 23, 2009

"The nuclear industry was for many years not very glamorous in this country, to say the least," recalls Amec Nuclear legal director Kevin Smith. "Now, though, it has suddenly become fashionable," he continues, "with law firms suddenly claiming they have got a nuclear law department". The shift in attitude began in 2003, counter-intuitively with the establishment of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), which subsequently opened up the decommissioning of various ageing nuclear plants, including Sellafield, to private companies. Around this time the Government's commitment to reduce its carbon emission levels, agreed under the Kyoto Protocol, came into force.

1 minute read

Renewable energy: Emission impossible?

By Legal Week | September 23, 2009

There is no shortage of targets when it comes to Europe's climate change policy. In addition to commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, the European Union (EU) aims to achieve a 20% reduction (from 1990 levels) of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2020 (rising to 30% if other countries commit to similar levels in ongoing negotiations). By the same date, the EU wants to see 20% of all its energy come from renewable sources. In the UK, the Climate Change Act 2008 requires a 34% cut in GHG emissions by 2020, and a cut of 80% by 2050. The concern is whether the mechanisms used by European governments will work to deliver these targets.

1 minute read

Renewable energy: Great light hope

By Legal Week | September 23, 2009

There are growth markets, there are long-term bets and then there is renewable energy. But however many false dawns alternative energy has had over the years, in the long run the business of green energy and nuclear power looks certain to ultimately establish itself as a huge, globally-significant industry.

1 minute read

International Edition

Renewable energy: Great light hope

By Legal Week | September 23, 2009

There are growth markets, there are long-term bets and then there is renewable energy. But however many false dawns alternative energy has had over the years, in the long run the business of green energy and nuclear power looks certain to ultimately establish itself as a huge, globally-significant industry.

1 minute read

Is Whitehall wilting in the climate change heat?

By Legal Week | September 23, 2009

Against the background of one of Europe's most liberalised energy markets and a renewable generation subsidy scheme designed to be driven by market forces, there are signs that the Government is struggling to make the model fit with its challenging low carbon targets. Is Whitehall losing faith in the power of free markets to deliver the goods when it comes to climate change?

1 minute read

The Recorder

Bottini & Bottini Represents Whale Watching Company in San Pedro Bay Pipeline Oil Spill Suit

By ALM Staff | October 12, 2021

This suit was surfaced by Law.com Radar. Read the complaint here.

1 minute read

New York Law Journal

PACE Goes Live in New York: Watch Out for the Pot Holes

By Thomas O'Connor and YuhTyng Patka | October 12, 2021

As with any rollout of a brand new program, we expect new issues to arise as the PACE program picks up steam in New York City.

9 minute read

The Recorder

Lieff Cabraser Latest Firm to Join Huntington Beach Oil Spill Litigation

By ALM Staff | October 11, 2021

This suit was surfaced by Law.com Radar. Read the complaint here.

1 minute read

The Legal Intelligencer

Definition of 'Waters of the United States' Changes Abruptly, With More Changes to Follow

By Lisa M. Bruderly | October 7, 2021

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) announced, on Sept. 3, that they would no longer implement the then-current definition of "waters of the United States" (WOTUS) effective immediately.

5 minute read

The Legal Intelligencer

The Biden Administration's Climate Change and Environmental Justice Agenda

By Kenneth J. Warren | October 7, 2021

On Oct. 1, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its draft strategic plan (plan) for fiscal years 2022-2026. The plan sets forth the EPA's priorities for protecting human health and the environment through various principles, goals and strategies. Public comment on the plan may be submitted to the EPA on or before Nov. 12.

7 minute read

Texas Lawyer

Environmental Attorney Moonlights as Blogger: A Q&A With Pillsbury Senior Counsel Anthony B. Cavender

By Kenneth Artz | October 6, 2021

"The practice has always been litigious, and this ... may be one characteristic that sets environmental practice apart from other areas of the law."

5 minute read

The Recorder

Paul Weiss, UC Berkeley Team Up to Close Knowledge Gap in 'Existential' ESG Questions

By Jessie Yount | October 5, 2021

"The pandemic, coupled with racial injustice, brought everything that is ESG to the surface," said David Curran, the executive director of the ESG and Law Institute and co-chairman of the ESG Advisory Practice at Paul Weiss.

4 minute read

The Recorder

Proposed Class Action Filed Over California Oil Spill as Other Legal Threats Mount

By Meghann M. Cuniff | October 4, 2021

Much more litigation is possible, as are criminal charges, with cities such as Huntington Beach already vowing accountability and Orange County's elected district attorney pushing for an investigation.

4 minute read

The Recorder

Montrose Chemical Corp. Agrees to $77M in Consent Decrees in 31-Year Lawsuit Over DDT Pollution

By Meghann M. Cuniff | October 4, 2021

The new agreements largely resolve all remaining issues from a 2000 bench trial that remained under submission when the presiding judge died in 2019.

5 minute read

The Recorder

Big Law Bulks Up on 'High-End' Partners in LA

By Jessie Yount | October 1, 2021

Wilson Sonsini, Blank Rome and Greenberg Traurig all made Southern California hires this week.

5 minute read