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Jochem Spaans

Partner

Amsterdam

Image of Jochem Spaans
Jochem Spaans

Partner

Amsterdam

Jochem is a partner within our Amsterdam Projects & Real Estate Department, heading its Environment & Public Law Group. Jochem advises on a wide range of regulatory and compliance matters, including complex permitting proceedings; sustainability and ESG; climate transition and renewables projects; environmental risk management; product compliance and safety. 

Jochem has broad experience in representing and advising international and national businesses in complex environmental (operating) permitting procedures, including legal redress proceedings, and has been involved in many offshore and onshore wind projects, solar projects and hydrogen projects, as well as mandates for conventional power stations and (petro-)chemical industry sites.

Jochem has practised in environmental and public law for over 20 years and has been recognised as a leading practitioner in his field for many years. He is a member of Allen & Overy’s International Environmental, Climate and Regulatory Law Group and International Trade and Regulatory Law Group. Jochem has broad experience in product stewardship matters affecting the chemicals and electronics industries (including REACH and WEEE & RoHS). Jochem is an assistant-professor at the VU University Amsterdam and holds a Ph.D in environmental law. He regularly publishes on environmental and spatial planning law. He is a member of the Netherlands Association for Environmental Lawyers, the Netherlands Association for Environmental Law, the Netherlands Association for Building Law and the Netherlands Association for Public Law.

Related articles

Publications: 21 March 2024

Charting a path through Europe’s sustainability landscape

Our in-depth interviews and survey revealed sustainability rules as one of the key challenges facing businesses in Europe. In recent years the EU has been a trailblazer for sustainability-related…

Read more Charting a path through Europe’s sustainability landscape

Publications: 07 March 2024

Ten lessons in sustainability regulation

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Publications: 07 March 2024

Taxonomies – why the world needs harmonisation but not uniformity

Read more Taxonomies – why the world needs harmonisation but not uniformity

Publications: 04 October 2023

ISSB Sustainability Disclosure Standards – challenges in global regulatory implementation and market adoption

Read more ISSB Sustainability Disclosure Standards – challenges in global regulatory implementation and market adoption

Office

Amsterdam

Apollolaan 15
1077 AB Amsterdam

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Qualifications

Professional

Admitted as advocaat, Netherlands, 2003

Listed in the register of legal practice areas of the Dutch Bar Association for Bestuursrecht

Academic

Grotius Academy (Post Graduate Education): Spatial planning and Environmental law, 2008

VU University Amsterdam, Faculty of Law: Doctor of Laws (Ph.D.), 2002

VU University Amsterdam, Faculty of Law: Master of Laws (LL.M.), 1998

VU University Amsterdam, Faculty of Social Sciences, Master of Arts (M.A.) in Science of Public Administration, 1998

Published work

  • Multiple casenotes in legal journals Tijdschrift AB (Kluwer) and Mediaforum (VMC), including AB 2012/67 and AB 2012/68;
  • Co-author of N.S.J. Koeman and R. Uylenburg (red.), Tekst & Commentaar Milieurecht, Kluwer: Deventer 2012 (to be published);
  • L.P.W. Mensink and L.A.J. Spaans, "Niet openbaar, toch op TV, Jurisprudentie verduidelijkt wanneer eens openbaar voor de één, altijd openbaar voor eenieder is", in: JBPlus 2010/3, p.115-132;
  • H.J. de Ru, J.L. Burggraaf and L.A.J. Spaans, De Maatschappelijke onderneming, Een studie naar de noodzaak en wenselijkheid van een eigen regeling voor de maatschappelijke onderneming in het rechtspersonenrecht, Boom Juridische uitgevers: Den Haag 2005;
  • W.G.B. van de Ven and L.A.J. Spaans, “De moeizame realisatie van windenergie in Nederland”, in: Tijdschrift voor Omgevingsrecht 2003/2, p. 34-45;
  • L.A.J. Spaans and J. Struiksma, "Bestemd voor kwaliteit, Onderzoek naar de juridische beperkingen en mogelijkheden van directe doorwerking van kwaliteitsnormen naar bestemmingsplannen", in: Fundamentele Herziening Wet Ruimtelijke Ordening, Onderzoek naar aanleiding van het BRO, Ministerie van VROM: Den Haag 2002, p. 1-58;
  • Milieukwaliteitsnormstelling, Over de wijze van milieukwaliteitsnormstelling binnen de democratische rechtsstaat(dissertatie), Boom Juridische uitgevers: Den Haag 2002;
  • L.A.J. Spaans and J. Struiksma, “Een riskante bestemming. Over het externe veiligheidsbeleid en de vertaling daarvan in bestemmingsplannen”, in: Tijdschrift voor Bouwrecht 2002/3, p. 199-209;
  • L.A.J. Spaans and F.C.M.A. Michiels, De waarde(n) van milieukwaliteitsnormen, Boom Juridische uitgevers: Den Haag 2000.