Environmental and public law disputes

Environmental and planning law are legal disciplines undergoing constant development, subject to both EU and national regulation. This oftenresults in disputes between public and private bodies operating in these fields. We have a high degree of specialist knowledge in these complex and dynamic areas of law and represent public authorities, utilities and/or private enterprises/industry associations in high-profile and noteworthy legal actions and disputes in the area. 

Moreover, our longstanding and varied litigation experience makes us uniquely qualified to aid business clients and/or authorities in relation to complex and heavy administrative cases, i.e. cases concerning judicial review of the validity of administrative acts or actions for damages brought against public authorities. 

For example, we:

• have represented and are representing a major utility in the first landmark cases over the validity - and assessment of damages - of a ban on the use of pesticides in protection zones near borings under section 24 of the Danish Environmental Protection Act (2021);
• have represented a Danish municipality in an action against a State authority and a real estate company over the lawfulness of the specific use of buildings in relation to the local development plan in force (2021);
• have represented and are representing a trade organisation in an action over the lawfulness of a department store in relation to the Danish Planning Act and the specific district planning (2021);
• represented a major international energy company in a Danish action claiming damages for shipments of waste abroad in contravention of EU's transport regulation (2018);
• represented a Danish Region in a Supreme Court action over liability for allegedly unlawful databases within the health area (2018).

We also represent a Danish trade organization (acting as agent) in a series of landmark cases against a State authority. The cases concern judicial review of the authority’s revocation of environmental permits with reference to the Habitats Directive. These cases involve preliminary references to the CJEU.