eelaw

#WeAreEnvironmentalLaw
Commonly, in every setting and in any class of industry, situations arise that may result in environmental problems. Particularly, at present given that regulatory requirements on productive, manufacturing, mining and energy industries are more demanding.

The world is changing rapidly at an unprecedented pace, rendering EELAW’s services crucial for a timely and suitable reaction.

We are pioneers in the field, as a firm exclusively dedicated to environmental law and at the forefront of the regulatory developments both national and international, through high level incisive legal analysis required for the development and implementation of all types of projects.

#WeAreEnvironmentalLaw, we are up-to-date with issues and offer high quality and advanced legal services to clients in a range of fields related to the sustainable use of natural resources.

We provide legal advice on environmental regulatory issues to industry associations such as the National Mining Society (SONAMI). Also, we engage as active participants in the drafting of environmental regulations providing comments and policy proposals related to these matters.

We firmly believe in the total compatibility between economic activity and the sustainable development of countries, supporting our clients in the search for paths which allow them to fulfill their goals, while complying with existing regulations and creating positive bonds with nature, the territory and the communities within.

Main areas or practice
Project development and permitting
“Our approach is prevention“
We provide legal advice to companies and associations of different productive sectors with the focus of offering strategic regulatory and technical-environmental point of views. At EELAW we are prepared to provide comprehensive environmental legal advice by collaborating intensively with our clients’ technical teams and professionals.

We are specialists in the elaboration of strategies for designing and undertaking the environmental impact assessment of projects, permits management and the successful implementation of projects during their life cycle stages: construction, operation and closure.

Our approach is prevention. We understand our clients’ needs and we provide advice aligned with their goals, striving to prevent and effectively minimize the risks and costs associated with the development of investment projects.

• Environmental aspects of investment projects.
• Environmental assessment of projects.
• Facilitation of citizen participation processes.
• Maritime concessions.
• Pollution control.
• Communities.
• Environmental permits.
• Closure of mining operations.
• Due diligence.
• Regulatory support to the energy and natural resources industry.

Environmental litigation
“We are prepared to face complex scenarios”
At EELAW we are acquainted with the scientific and technical issues of the industries we advise. Based on our experience and professional training, we seek to integrate various disciplines and are prepared to face complex scenarios, which allows us to deliver solid and integral defenses to our clients.

We focus on supporting and defending our clients in environmental and sectoral sanctioning proceedings, particularly before the Superintendence of the Environment, where we advised on the filing of the first Compliance Program in our country. Likewise, we also have experience in handling cases and litigating before the Environmental Courts, Courts of Appeals and the Supreme Court.

• Defense before Environmental Courts and Ordinary Courts.
• Defense in sanctioning administrative proceedings before various Governmental agencies.
• General defense strategies, before the Superintendence of the Environment, General Water Bureau and the National Geology and Mining Service.
• Drafting, filing and monitoring of Compliance Programs.
• Prevention strategies to avoid/minimize sanctioning administrative proceedings.

Environmental compliance
“Environmental compliance is prevention, reaction and adaptation”
At EELAW we have deep knowledge of the environmental and sectorial compliance frameworks applicable to the regulated community, and of the possible consequences associated with non-compliances. We focus not only in the development of reactive compliance strategies, but most importantly in the design and implementation of preventive and proactive compliance strategies.

Our counseling in matters of environmental compliance allows us to deliver a strategic analysis to the work of consultants and in-house professionals, aiming at identify gaps, anticipating and preventing regulatory non-compliance scenarios, seeking that the client may understand and adapt to regulatory changes and encouraging adoption of corrective actions to address compliance gaps. We educate and train our clients, their managers, technicians and professionals, in an effort to promote a culture of environmental compliance.

• Preventive counseling on environmental matters.
• Regulatory risk analysis.
• Strategic compliance planning.
• Environmental legal strategy.
• Compliance audits.
• Compliance analysis of the environmental compliance performance of an activity.
• Education and training in environmental compliance.

Regulations: Monitoring, development and trends
“We actively participate in the development of environmental law”
At EELAW we actively participate in the development of new environmental regulations. We have advised State agencies and private actors in the design and implementation of public policies in environmental matters and actively participate in the creation of proposals and regulatory projects. Thus, we permanently attend Congress sessions and we are always updated in the parliamentary discussions of all the relevant bills for our professional practice.

In addition, we prepare briefings, monthly reports, presentations and training for managers, professionals and technicians who work with our clients.

In this context, one of our most recent experience was our participation in the process of drafting the Tire Targets Decree for the implementation of the Extended Producer Liability Law (as known as the “REP Law”), providing the mining sector´s vision making known the challenges it faces and its experience in some valorization initiatives.

Continuous improvement is in our DNA, thereby with the purpose of maintaining the continuous education of our legal team, our lawyers attend and participate in different instances of academic discussion, contributing with a critical, constructive and practical point of view.

We keep our clients up to date with all the relevant advances in environmental legal issues, with emphasis on innovation and the development of their interests and businesses.

• Environmental education to regulated sectors.
• Regulatory analysis of mining industry.
• Monitoring of regulatory changes.
• Advice on environmental legislative and administrative issues.
• Update on trends and regulatory processes