This post is by Andrea Schiber and is cross-posted with the KLS Law News Blog.
For the first seminar in the LLM Environmental Law Seminar Series 2016/2017, Kent alumnus Rufus Howard spoke about his journey from gaining an LLM in Environmental Law and Policy at Kent to becoming Director of Sustainable Development at Royal HaskoningDHV and beyond.
During the seminar, delivered on Monday 17 October, Rufus explained how the skills he had gained during his LLM had helped him throughout his career, his first job after graduating being a position at AMEC as an Environmental Consultant. Skills he highlighted, included: an appreciation of written/academic English, attention to detail, critical analysis, and the confidence to go back to the start of an issue and work through the information (or possible solutions) systematically.
Rufus currently specialises in the impact assessment of complex assets and contentious infrastructure projects. Moreover, he provides strategic advice to international businesses, financial institutions and governmental departments on environmental and social risk management. His work takes him all across Europe, Libya, Kazakhstan, South Africa and the USA.
He advocated the benefits of professional development through membership of appropriate institutions, such as the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA), the Institute of Directors (IoD), and/or the UK Environmental Law Association (UKELA). As well as providing opportunities for networking and participation in projects, Rufus said membership offers benefits such as career development and certification (in addition to employment and education), and support for their members.
Whilst Rufus continues to work part-time, he is undertaking a PhD at Kent to further develop and consolidate his career and knowledge. His working thesis title is: ‘Industry Evidence Programme: A Systematic and Evidence Based Approach to Impact Assessment.’
Rufus was thanked for sharing his divers and interesting experiences of environmental law in practice by the student organising committee (Simon Malih – Chairperson, Grant Williams -Introducer, and Harry Haycraft – Reporter), fellow students and lecturers.
The LLM Environmental Law Seminar Series has been designed specifically for students with an interest in the environmental law modules offered within the School’s one-year Master’s in Law programme, the Kent LLM.
Kent LLM students can graduate with a specialism in either Environmental Law orInternational Environmental Law by (i) opting to study at least three (out of six) modules from those associated with the specialism of their choice and by (ii) focusing the topic of their dissertation on their chosen specialism.
More information about environmental law research, events and academics at Kent can be found on the Environmental Law mini-site. More information about studying the Kent LLM (and choosing your specialism) can be found on our postgraduate pages.