Environment

Clients in the public and private sectors have confidence and trust that we understand the key environmental issues and challenges that will affect their businesses in the future.

Overview

Henry Davis York's environmental law team has the finely-tuned combination of technical expertise, regulatory experience, commercial insight and global perspective to provide all-encompassing practical solutions on environmental and climate change law to our clients.

Clients rely on our cutting-edge expertise in environmental issues that will impact on their businesses for years to come. These include environmental planning, climate change law, defending pollution prosecutions, developing strategies for contaminated land and undertaking environmental legal risk management training and seminars.

Our experience in providing legal advice and assistance to clients with significant property interests such as large property funds, financial institutions, major corporations and government agencies enables us to understand the key environmental issues which are likely to arise in any given situation.

Experts in our field

Dr Nicholas Brunton has presented papers at major industry conferences including the International Bar Association's Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

Environmental law partner, Elizabeth Wild is recognised as an expert in contaminated land law and has run a number of landmark contaminated land cases in the Supreme and Federal Courts. Dr Brunton is also on the advisory board for the Centre of Climate Change and Environmental Law at the University of Sydney.

What the market says

"Nick Brunton of Henry Davis York has a broad practice in environmental and planning matters, working with private companies as well as governmental agencies. His expertise includes contaminated land issues and environmental legal risk management."
Chambers Global 2010

"Elizabeth Wild was firm, professional, practical, pragmatic and determined, and able to provide definitive advice and make things happen."
ALB Guide to Environmental Law 2009


Expertise

Our environmental expertise includes:

  • environmental planning
  • climate change law 
  • planning 
  • pollution prosecutions 
  • contaminated land and remediation law
  • environmental legal risk management 
  • environmental liability training.

Credentials

Babcock & Brown energy assets

Advised a consortium of financiers on the environmental, climate change and planning issues and risks in relation to power stations and other energy assets held by Babcock & Brown and completed a due diligence review.

USA based medical product manufacturing corporation

Advised a major USA-based medical product manufacturing corporation on the divestment of its Australian operations, which  included the contractual allocation of environmental risks and liabilities, the transfer of environmental approvals and a due diligence review.

Baiada Poultry

Advised Baiada Poultry on all environmental and planning due diligence in its acquisition of Bartter/Steggles to form the largest poultry processing company in Australia.

Elliot Advisers

Acted for Hong Kong based Elliot Advisers Limited on the environmental, native title and mining aspects of the proposed acquisition of the Ravens Thorpe nickel mine in Western Australia. This included a comprehensive legal due diligence review.

Publications