An Environmental Law Firm You Can Rely On
At Adam Libah Solicitors, we have expertise and experience in advising businesses, organisations and individuals in environmental law and defending prosecutions brought by governmental agencies such as the Environment Agency or Local authorities.
We can support with:
- Defending companies and individuals against allegation of environmental offences
- Dealing with allegations of breaches of licences, permits or consents,
- Unlawful disposal of commercial waste & Fly-tipping,
- Abatement notices (e.g. for noise or odour)
Our Environmental Solicitors Can Help With:
Our specialist environmental solicitors have particular experience of:
- Environmental permitting regulations investigations and prosecutions
- Pollution, groundwater and water resources investigations and prosecutions
- Waste management, permits: investigations and breaches
- Environmental incidents and investigations
- Response to an investigation by the Environment Agency (EA), local environmental health, the exercise of statutory powers, and invitations to be interviewed under caution
- Corporate criminal liability, including director and employees liabilities
- Representation at the Magistrates’ Court and Crown Court
- Judicial review challenges to the service of enforcement notices by the environment agency or local authorities
We Also Have Experience In:
We can assist individuals and businesses in relation to the following:
- Environment Agency investigations and prosecutions
- Local Authority investigations and prosecutions under section 222 of the Local Government Act 1972 (LGA 1972), a local authority may prosecute legal proceedings.
- Health and safety investigations and prosecutions
- Noise nuisance
Trading Standards:
Consumer protection, counterfeiting, unfair commercial practices, product safety, fraud, money laundering, proceeds of crime and restraint orders.
Food Hygiene & Safety:
Breaches in food hygiene, including national restaurant and pub chains and the sale of goods unfit for human consumption.
Licensing:
Representations before sub-committees and appeals to the Magistrates’, Crown Court and High Court concerning taxi licences, festivals and events, entertainment establishments, and alcohol licensing, including late-night levy and HMO breaches.
Planning Enforcement:
Breach of condition notices, tree preservation matters, unauthorised encampments, unlawful advertising, injunctions, stop notices and temporary stop notices.
Contact our experts today to book a free consultation
What Are The Risks?
The development of law in this area, along with new sentencing guidelines, involves:
- Significantly increased financial penalties for companies and organisations that breach environmental law.
- Significant costs, such as clean-up costs being imposed.
- Imprisonment for relevant individuals, e.g. Company Directors.
- Confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 civil sanctions (such as monetary penalty notices and enforcement undertakings).
- The ancillary order that a court may make following a conviction include disqualification of directors; confiscation of assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002; criminal behaviour orders; community protection orders, forfeiture of equipment used to commit the offence, see Practice Note; Forfeiture of property following conviction; compensation; vehicle seizure.
Harsh sentences are available for environmental offences, for example, a conviction for the offence of disposing of commercial waste without a licence can result in an unlimited fine and/or up to 5 years imprisonment at the Crown Court and if dealt with at the magistrates court a fine of up to £50,000 and/or up to 6 months imprisonment.
