• Planning, Environmental and Local Government Association
  • Irish Environmental Law Association
  • Dublin Solicitor Bar Association – former secretary to In-House Committee
  • Law Society of Ireland
  • Law Society of England and Wales
  • Solicitor, Law Society of Ireland, 1998
  • Leadership in Local Government Programme, IPA, 2017
  • Diploma in Corporate Law and Governance, Law Society of Ireland, 2017
  • Diploma in Human Resource Management, Institute of Public Administration, 2014
  • Accredited Commercial Mediator, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, 2012
  • Certificate in Management Development, Institute of Public Administration, 2010
  • Master of Science – Equality Studies, University College Dublin, 2007
  • Bachelor of Civil Law, University College Dublin 1994

Leonora is a partner on the Environment, Climate and Planning  team who provides  an advisory, litigation and dispute resolution service to both public bodies and private clients and  advises  both  on their obligations arising under EU and national environmental legislation and caselaw.

Leonora  has lengthy experience of advising public bodies  in the context of statutory  interpretation, consenting and  on compliance with complex EU environmental law and public and administrative law obligations. She has represented An Bord Pleanála over the past 6 years in defending Judicial Review challenges to its decisions, and on the environmental, planning and administrative law grounds raised.  Leonora also advises  private  housing and windfarm developers  on  environmental consenting  processes, with pre- application reviews and in JR proceedings as Notice Party or applicant.

Prior to joining the firm Leonora was legal advisor to Dublin City Council for 10 years where she was responsible for delivery of a litigation service including prosecutions, JRs, injunctions and   statutory appeals. She advised on  regulatory issues concerning Waste Licensing, Social Housing, Housing Standards in Rented Accommodation, Building Control, CPOs, Arbitration, Derelict Sites, and  on issues in relation to a “Public Sector Duty”  equality review by IHREC.

Leonora has lectured in the Law Society and presented to  the Irish Planning Institute, Dublin Solicitor Bar Association, Local Authority Solicitor Bar Association, Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management  and the Europol Conference on Environmental Crime. Leonora was a member of the European LIFE funded “Trans-frontier Shipment of Waste” working group which advised other member states  on the enforcement of the TFS Regulation.

Representative Matters

  • Coillte –  Obligations under the Habitats Regulations/Wildlife Acts and regulatory advice.
  • NTMA advice leading to planning permission for a school adjacent to a protected structure.
  • Heygaz – Environmental due diligence on acquisition of two EPA licensed biomethane industrial facilities.
  • Dublin City Council  – Advised on liability issues and statutory obligations within large infrastructure project.
  • Galway City Council – Advising on consent process for Road Development and CPO project.
  • Commissioner for Irish Lights – advice  on its European and domestic environmental  obligations  under the Habitats Directive and other Statutory provisions.  
  • Marine Institute – advising on Animal Health Regulation.
  • Private Housing and Wind farm Developers –pre application review of environmental assessments and advice on consent process.
  • Housing Agency – advice on impact of  planning legislation.
     
  • Pembroke Road Residents Association -v- An Bord Pleanála (“ABP”) – successful defence of permission for Strategic Housing development ( Supreme Court).
  • Hellfire Massey Resident Association -v- ABP & Ors – successful defence of permission for Local Authority development involving referral to CJEU on issues concerning integration of consent processes.  
  • Sweetman -v- ABP and Bord Na Mona-Represented ABP in novel challenge to windfarm concerning obligation to assess design options.  
  • Alice O’Donnell -v- ABP & Ors – successful defence of challenge to permission for Strategic Housing development involving issues concerning Strict Protection.  
  • Sea Fibre Networks & Ors -v- Minister for HPLG & Ors – successful resolution of proceedings for applicant concerning challenge to Foreshore Licence.