Otuawe Moro

"I am part of the TEN trainees to attain diverse exposure to environmental training and projects."

Background

My name is Otuawe Moro and I am from Nigeria. I am a graduate of Imperial College London, where I studied for an MSc in Environmental Technology and a BSc in Geography and Environmental Management.

Placement

My placement is with the Women's Environment Network (WEN), working as a climate change intern. The work I have been given is to research and review the carbon footprinting schemes for Small to Medium size Enterprices (SMEs); calculate the carbon footprint for WEN; analyse and assess carbon analytical tools and applications.

Nicole Mohammed

"I saw it as an opportunity to broaden my experience and gain a first world perspective on environmental regulation."

Background

My name is Nicole Mohammed and I am from Trinidad and Tobago. I have 6 years bar experience and have worked with the Environmental Management Authority of Trinidad and Tobago for the past two years. In 2006, after completing my LLM in Environmental Law at the University of Nottingham, I undertook an internship at the Secretariat of the UNFCC Convention in Bonn, Germany and the Foundation for International Law and Development (FIELD), London.

I am a member of civil law chambers in Trinidad and have worked closely with Trinidad's NGO community, in the ongoing battle to prevent the construction of an aluminum smelter plant near a rural community in the south of Trinidad. We are currently awaiting the outcome of a Sudicial review application challenging the grant of a licence for the construction of the plant.

Placement

I spent the first half of my placement in the Environment Agency's media team and will spend the remaining three months in the legal department. My time in the media team was extremely rewarding as I was given an opportunity to experience the workings of a large environmental regulatory agency from an external relations point of view. I have now been with the legal department for three weeks. In my short time there, I have already been given the opportunity to gain experience in a wide variety of areas. My time with this department has allowed me to further hone my skills as an environmental lawyer and deepen my understanding of the English system of environmental regulation.

Irene Makumbi Sekisonge

"...being at the Environment Agency has exposed me to working on a multiplicity of social, legal and economic issues that arise where an instituion is engaged in the introduction of changes in the way it works..."

Background

My name is Irene Makumbi Sekisonge and I have worked as a Senior Research Fellow for five years with the Uganda Wildlife Society, a policy research and advocacy environment charity. I am a Chevening scholar with a Masters degree in Law in Development from the University of Warwick. In February 2008, I was placed in the Waterways department of the Environment Agency, to work on a project called the Thames Lockhouse Review.

Placement

My placement is with the waterways department of the Environment Agency based in Reading. My assignment is to support the waterways department on a project that is reviewing lock houses, as well as restructuring of the waterways department. On the lock house review we have developed various options on sale or rental as well as dealing with the resultant changes on staff and river users. As part of the restructuring work, I have reviewed contracts for the staff that manage the river at various lock sites and provided guidance on the process. I am also working with the business development section in waterways on licensing of structures in or above the river and reviewing the application process for a combined licence and related authorisations. The work is still on going and I will next work with the legal and estates department to deal with the legal issues arising out of the lock house review and the restructuring.

Lovleen Bhullar

"...it has given me the oportunity to interact with staff members from the Rights and Justice Centre for Friends of the Earth, who have a diverse non-legal professional backgrounds."

Background

After receiving a degree from the National Law School of India University, Bangalore, India in 1998, I worked for three years with the Litigation and Arbitration division of a law firm, Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co., New Delhi.
During this period, I drafted legal submissions and opinions, briefed senior counsels, appeared before the Supreme Court of India and several High Courts and tribunals in India.

In 2006, I was awarded the Commonwealth Scholarship to pursue a Master of Laws (LLM) degree, specialising in Environmental Law, from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, London where I graduated with a Distinction. I also undertook a three-month internship with the Foundation for International Environmental Law and
Development (FIELD), London during this period.

Placement

I have been working in the Rights and Justice Centre for Friends of the Earth UK. I am involved in developing the international focus of FoE's legal practice. I have been creating a database of the lawyers associated with the various FoE affiliate organisations across the world. I am also assisting with the preparation of responses to legal queries for an international environmental lawyers' network. As a legal intern, I have also conducted research on EU and UK laws, policies and guidance notes issued to guide the national and local governments’ obligations towards combating climate change and the current status of their implementation.