Activities and events
The Environment and Planning Law Committee uses the collective legal skills and knowledge of our members to raise awareness of environmental and planning issues throughout the profession and the community.
Our work includes hands-on environmental activities, community forums on environmental law issues, submission-writing and professional development seminars.
Examples of our activities include:
- Organising Free Public Forums
- Drafting submissions to Parliament
- Environmental Law Annual Trivia Extravaganza
- Publication of the 2nd and pending 3rd Editions of the Practitioners' Guide to the Land and Environment Court.
- 'Open Door Network' mentoring program and the NSW Young Lawyers and Planning Institute's NSW Young Planners Mooting Competition.
- Committee Meeting Guest Speakers
- Publication of articles in the Lawbook Co. Local Government Law Journal
- Annual Committee participation in the National Tree Planting Day and Clean-Up Australia Day as well as the 'Walk Against Warming' – Australia’s Community Day of Action on Climate Change
- Delivering a diverse and tailored Continuing Legal Education (CLE) program for young lawyers and the environment and planning law profession
- Environment and Planning Law Committee University Essay Prize – an annual prize with $1000 in sponsorship from the Australian Ethical Investment Trust
- Active involvement with the National Environmental Law Association, the Environment and Planning Law Association, Women Lawyers Association of NSW and IUCN Commission on Environmental Law.
Annual Environment and Planning Law Trivia Night
This event has raised considerable funds and awareness for charity organisations, including:
- WIRES (NSW Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service)
- the Climate Action Network Australia 'No More Polluting Power' Campaign
- the Nature Conservation Council's 'Marine Sanctuaries National Parks of the Sea' Campaign
- the Wilderness Society’s 'Tasmanian Tarkine Wilderness' Appeal
- Total Environment Care.
The Environment and Planning Law Committee's annual Trivia Extravaganza for Charity night was held on 27 October 2011, raising considerable funds for its 2011 nominated charity, the Australian Youth Climate Coalition.
Taking the timber trophy in first place was Martin Place Chambers, with Henry Davis York in close second. Other attendees included HWL Ebsworth Lawyers, the NSW Land & Environment Court, the City of Sydney Council, Baker & McKenzie, Johnson Winter & Slattery, Wilshire Webb Staunton Beattie, the Office of Environment and Heritage, JBA Planning and the Australian Youth Climate Coalition.
The Committee would like to thank Henry Davis York for hosting the event and JBA Planning for its sponsorship.
The presenters for the evening were Nick Ferguson, Committee Chair, and James Fan, Co-Vice Chair. The Committee welcomes Maddocks Lawyers as the host for the 2012 Trivia Night.
Environment and Planning Law Committee Essay Competition
The 2011 annual Committee Essay Prize was open to students and lawyers (up to 2 years PQE).
The competition required a 2500 word essay on one of the topics in the Competition Flyer found here. The award ceremony was held on 1 November 2011 and presented by Sonya Redman, Co-Vice Chair.
The Committee's honorary guest and patron, Hon. Justice Sheahan of the NSW Land and Environment Court awarded the prizes to the winners and provided an insightful address on the essay question topics and the virtues of continuing environmental law scholarship. The Committee is grateful to his Honour for his ongoing support and congratulate the winners on their essays.
The student category winner and runner up were Ms Dannica Alston and Charlotte Anderson. The lawyer category winner was Ms Clara MacDermott.
The 2012 Essay Prize competition and questions will be announced in early 2012.
