If you are thinking of specializing in a legal branch after finishing your degree in Law or to differentiate your work as a lawyer, here we tell you what an environmental lawyer is and what he does and how to specialize.
The specialization in Environmental Law is one of the most demanded today due to the importance that commitments to the climate at a global level have gained in recent years, both by States and citizens. If you are thinking of specializing in a legal branch after finishing your degree in Law or to differentiate your work as a lawyer, here we tell you what an environmental lawyer is and what he does and how to specialize.
An environmental lawyer is a professional expert in the regulatory system that has been designed to protect natural spaces and their exploitation for the benefit of society, as well as the human environment through pollution control and the efficient use of natural resources. The legislative framework has been developed in recent decades both at a national and European level, being intimately linked to the international policy decisions made in the European Union and the treaties to which it joins as a bloc.
The expert lawyer in the environment can work both for the private sector, advising companies regarding compliance with environmental regulations and defending their interests in court in the event of infractions, and in the public sector, collaborating as advisors in the definition , planning and execution of initiatives related to environmental management.
Duties of an environmental lawyer
In his day to day, an environmental lawyer will work to prevent violations of environmental regulations, will defend the interests of his client in court in case of violations and will develop strategies for compliance with environmental regulations that imply economic efficiencies for his clients.
The advisory facet of an environmental lawyer will focus on improving the behavior of a public or private company to meet a double objective: to stop environmental deterioration and, at the same time, generate cost savings of all kinds through efficiency.
As examples, an expert lawyer in the environment will handle cases on the incorrect management of water or waste typical of the activity of a company, the omission of environmental impact assessments in the development of urban or industrial projects or the protection of spaces nature and its fauna.
How to specialize in environmental law
To become an environmental lawyer, the first step is to study a Law Degree. It is the career that gives access to the master’s degree in the Practice of Law that allows you to prepare and pass the official exam for access to this profession and register to practice as a lawyer.
A lawyer can dedicate himself to this legal branch from the moment he passes the compulsory training stage to become a collegiate member, but specialization in one of the areas of Environmental Law will allow him to differentiate his professional work. However, as it is a relatively young and developing legal branch, the catalog of courses and postgraduate courses to specialize in environmental matters is not as extensive as in other disciplines.
This is a very broad and transversal area since it affects the different production and infrastructure sectors, so specialization should be sought through specific branches such as urban planning law and its environmental impact, the law applied to the energy sector (both both in generation and in the development of infrastructures and the energy efficiency of buildings) or the aspect that affects industrial development.
Another option is to specialize through a master’s degree in Environmental Law in the civil and criminal liability assumed by a company in the event of violations of environmental regulations, the different certification processes that must be achieved, or the development and compliance with environmental models to guarantee that an organization complies with respect for biodiversity, quality management or health in the work environment, among other aspects.
