Sorainen

Dispute Resolution & Risk Management, Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG), Real Estate & Construction

Senior Associate

Britta Retel' primary focus is on environmental, building and planning law, in the role of both advising and representing clients in court disputes. She has been advising clients on environmental matters since 2007, currently specialising in ESG topics.

Educated in environmental management. Britta received a MA degree (cum laude) in landscape protection and management from the Estonian University of Life Sciences and has long worked with environmental projects mainly related to evaluating the environmental impact of projects and planning, applications of environmental permits and drafting waste management plans.

Public, private and third sector experience. Britta has worked with environmental law in the public, private and non-governmental sectors. For over five years she was employed by a private company offering environmental consultations. After that she worked for the planning department at the Ministry of the Interior. As the ministry advisor, Britta dealt with questions regarding planning law and was also involved in drafting legislation. Additionally, she has interned at the NGO Estonian Environmental Law Centre, which primarily advises private persons and third sector groups.

Complicated disputes. Britta Retel represented a client in a court dispute regarding maritime spatial planning, which the Estonian Supreme Court has acknowledged to have been one of the most complex environmental cases in the country’s history. The case concerned maritime spatial planning in areas bordering on Hiiu and Pärnu counties, and resulted in the Supreme Court declaring that plans for wind energy production areas were void.

Disputes involving manufacturing firms. Britta has participated in environmental disputes primarily involving manufacturing companies (eg, hydroelectric plants, water companies) , and also advised companies applying for environmental permits and in need of advice on environmental tax and environmental liability matters.

Environmental expert at large. She is called upon to collaborate with all the Sorainen teams who encounter environmental issues in their work, be it real estate, energy, M&A or public procurement practices.

Estonian, English

Estonian Bar Association

University of Tartu, Estonia (MA in Law) University of Tartu, Estonia (BA in Law) Estonian University of Life Sciences (MA in landscape protection and management, cum laude) Estonian University of Life Sciences (BA in landscape protection and management)