Introduction
Pinsent Masons is an international law firm with over 280 partners and a total of 1000 lawyers world-wide, providing a full range of corporate and commercial services. The firm ranks amongst the top 100 global law firms.
Pinsent Masons' operation spans the UK, Europe, the Middle-East and Asia Pacific. In the UK, the firm also has offices in Birmingham, Leeds, London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Bristol. Internationally, Pinsent Masons is based in Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong and Dubai. Through the Pinsent Masons Luther Group (PMLG), the firm is allied to independent law firms in Germany, France, Austria, Hungary and the Baltic States.
Brief
We are currently looking to recruit an Environment lawyer who has from three years post qualification experience to join our Birmingham Planning & Environment team. The ideal candidate will preferably be from a good regional practice or an established City Environment practice. UK qualified and trained lawyers only. Planning and Environment lawyers would be considered.
Environmental experience is essential covering ideally stand-alone environmental work, corporate and property support. Litigation experience is not necessary but would be welcome.
The Team
The National Environment Practice (excluding trainees) currently consists of:
•London:Partner and three assistants;
•Birmingham:Partner and one assistant;
•Leeds:Partner (Primarily Env Lit), three assistants;
•Glasgow:Consultant and two assistants;
•Manchester:One PSL
Key clients for the Environment team include waste clients such as Onyx/Veolia, Cleanaway, Viridor, Global Renewables, Cory Environmental and Grundon as well as utilities such as ScottishPower, United Utilities, National Grid Gas plc, Thames Water and Severn Trent. We also act for large corporates such as IMI plc, Hanson plc, Syngenta, Nestle, Siemens and Johnson Services. We often undertake environmental due diligence and contractual support on behalf of the London offices of US law firms incl Skadden Arps, Hunton & Williams and Cleary Gottlieb. As well as private sector clients (which include numerous lenders and environmental consultantcies) we undertake a range of work for public bodies such as DEFRA, Avian Flu Emergency Panel, English Partnerships, and most of the Regional Development Agencies as well as local authorities .
We are also keen to develop further our energy work and have experience of onshore gas storage projects, International Emissions Trading, Renewables (Energy from Waste, Winddarms, Biomass and wave energy). We have given substantial advice in 2006/2007 on the implications of the WEEE and RoHS regulations, REACH and regularly advise in relation to pollution incidents, asbestos contamination, contaminated land, property development and regeneration and environmental insurance.
Recent highlights include:
•The National Grid Bawtry contaminated land judicial review which will be appealed to the House of Lords in 2007;
•Appointment to the Olympic Delivery Authority Panel and Olympic Delivery Partner for planning and environmental work;
•Completion of the purchase of a gas fired power station with onshore gas wells outside York.
•Advising on new build Energy from Waste Project (SE England) and undertaking all relevant advice from the permitting strategy (s.36 Electricity Act, PPC and Greenhouse Gas permits) to commissioning and review of the Draft Environmental Statements
•Advising on all issues relating to the development of Biomass and Waste Wood Combined Heat and Power generating stations in Scotland and Wales.
•Leading on the major extension of a gas fired power station in a sensitive area of SE England including EIA/ES issues, grid connection, contaminated land, inquiry and possible JR challenge issues
•Advising in relation to overall permitting and development strategy for two redevelopments of coal fired power stations in Scotland incl EIA.ES, PPC, Large Combustion Plants Directive and so forth.
