Penny is considered by Legal 500 to be a Leading Individual in the field of Environment. Having trained in the City (Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s environment team) and with 20 years’ experience in both private practice and in-house roles, Penny is a solid and experienced all-round environmental lawyer with particular expertise in “natural environment” law. Within the “natural environment” niche, she has built a strong, national reputation in advising a wide range of private and public sector clients on the regulation of protected habitats, protected species, water resources, air quality and environmental impact assessment. Her clients are most often developers, environmental consultancies, mineral sector operators and water sector operators, for whom she works to overcome the constraints imposed by natural environment law so as to deliver planning permissions and the other environmental consents they need (eg protected species licences, environmental permits, abstraction licences). She also advises local authorities, objectors and environmental organisations on these issues. She has significant experience in defending public and private sector clients when faced with environmental-related regulatory or criminal proceedings brought by the Environment Agency, Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, the Forestry Commission or the police (eg pollution offences, protected species offences, breaches of permits / licences). More generally, she advises on the environmental aspects of property and company transactions where she negotiates to limit her client’s environmental liabilities. She also has significant experience in health and safety law and frequently advises her clients on health and safety compliance.
England - Yorkshire And The Humber • Real estate
Freeths LLP
Freeths LLP‘s environment team is well-regarded for its ability to handle matters related to natural and wildlife law and regularly provides regulatory advice on the biodiversity and pollution impacts of large infrastructure schemes and development projects. The team is particularly active on questions surrounding the post-Brexit development of British natural environment law, advising clients such as the Office for Environmental Protection and acting in high-profile disputes on the issue. The practice is led by Sheffield-based lawyer Penny Simpson, who is widely regarded as an expert on natural capital and natural environment issues and has handled a number of regulatory due diligence issues as well as criminal investigations. The team was recently strengthened by the arrival of Leeds-based environmental planning expert Alison Ogley from Walker Morris LLP in December 2022.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Great team on environmental regulation.’
Key clients
- Abbey Developments Limited
- C Squared Property Developments Limited
- Chartered Institute of Ecology & Environmental Management
- City Plumbing Supplies Limited
- Defence Infrastructure
- Shropshire Council
- Office for Environmental Protection
- Southern Water Services Limited
- United Utilities
Work highlights
- Advised the CCSF Defence Infrastructure Organisation on its crucial applications for abstraction licences to allow its Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) military facility in Wiltshire to continue to operate with abstracted water supplies.
- Advised the Office for Environmental Protection since its inception on matters such as emerging government policies and draft legislation relating to environmental law.
Lawyers
Leading individuals
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Penny Simpson