King’s Inns Advanced Diploma in Planning and Environmental Law: Assisting engineers in navigating legal issues concerning planning and the environment. 

Environmental law is a constantly evolving issue that will be crucial in the next decades. Governments and global society have emphasised the significance of investing in environmental protection.

As an example of that, the Irish minister for Justice, Heather Humphreys, has stated that establishing a new Environmental Law Court as a division of the High Court will be a high priority. (RTÉ, 2022).

The Advanced Diploma in Planning and Environmental Law at King's Inns, coordinated by barrister and author Dr David Browne BL, provides engineer professionals with important insights into current and emerging legal concerns in the planning, engineer, design, and construction industries.

Lectures are presented online in brief 1.5-hour early morning sessions by prominent experts in this field, allowing professionals to engage regardless of their geographical location.

The design of the course schedule is to accommodate the needs of participants in full-time employment. It will take place over about 22 weeks, with lectures on Thursdays from 8.30am to 10am from October 2022 to May 2023.

Comprehensive practical knowledge and valuable insights

This advanced diploma provides participants with a thorough practical understanding of Planning and Environmental Law, which is useful for engineering professionals who give guidance on planning and critical infrastructure applications, enforcement issues, development plans and strategic planning, waste management, and climate resilience and adaptation.

The course draws planners, engineers, architects, and construction managers, as well as An Bord Pleanála inspectors and consultants, local government officials, NGOs, and individuals working in the planning and environmental fields. The fact that this course is being taught by a broad set of professionals helps participants to learn from one another, especially during tutorials and Q&A sessions.

Participants will be able to utilise important legal vocabulary fluently and accurately after finishing the course; apply suitable legal concepts to a variety of factual settings; and analyse, criticise, and defend legal arguments on planning and environmental law.

“The course provided a comprehensive means to locate, interpret and make relevant various aspects of the law and decisions which relate to a number of projects undertaken by environmental consultants”. (Graduate of 2022)

Course fee and application process

The course fee is €2,850. To be awarded the advanced diploma, a participant must complete two written assessments successfully. There are no admission requirements for this course. However, a place on the highly sought-after course is not secured until the course fee is received in full.

The application deadline for the course is midnight (Irish time) on Thursday, October 5, 2023. To view the class schedule and the list of expert speakers for this course – and also apply for this diploma, visit the King’s Inns website here.