Elisa de Wit

Partner
Norton Rose Fulbright Australia

Elisa de Wit

Elisa de Wit

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Biography

Elisa de Wit is an environment and planning, and climate change lawyer based in Melbourne. She leads the Australian climate change and sustainability practice and the firm's global carbon markets practice. Elisa has practised in the areas of environmental, planning and climate change law for over 30 years, including eight years of practice in the United Kingdom.

Elisa’s environmental experience includes advising on various environmental permitting regimes, including waste management, pollution control and discharge consents, representing clients in connection with environmental offences or breaches of environmental legislation and undertaking substantial due diligence exercises. She also has significant experience advising in relation to contaminated land, both in the context of property and corporate transactions and in relation to liability issues.

Elisa’s expertise also extends to town planning and covers strategic advice, legal representation at tribunal and court hearings and negotiation of contractual documents for a wide range of developments including retail, residential, commercial, mixed use renewable energy facilities, landfills, incinerators, waste transfer stations, industrial plants, quarries and mining sites.

Elisa has a detailed understanding of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme (NGERS), the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI), Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) [now rebadged as the Climate Solutions Fund], the Renewable Energy Target (RET) and the Safeguard Mechanism and has provided extensive advice to a wide range of clients on the obligations and opportunities which flow from NGERS, CFI, ERF and RET. During her time in the United Kingdom, Elisa advised various clients on the implementation and operation of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme. Elisa's climate change practice also includes advising on climate risk, climate disclosure and climate change-related litigation.

Elisa has received a number of awards and ratings, including:

  • Exert Guides World's leading female practitioners in Environment section
  • The Lawyer Network's Climate Change and Sustainability Lawyer of the Year in Australia (2022)
  • Leading lawyer, Australasian Legal Business Guide for Environmental Law
  • Pre-eminent environment lawyer, Doyle's Guide
  • Recommended lawyer for climate change, PLC Which Lawyer?
  • Listed in International Who's Who Legal Guide for Environment
  • Climate Change Lawyer of the Year in Australia, (2011) Legal Awards conducted by Corporate INTL Magazine
  • Climate Change, Best Lawyers (2012 - 2018)
  • Energy Law, Best Lawyers (2018)
  • Water Law, Best Lawyers (2014)
  • Environment and Planning, Best Lawyers (2014)
  • Lawyer of the Year Climate Change Law, Best Lawyers (2014 - 2015 and 2018 - 2019)​
  • Elisa is recognised in a number of legal directories, including Chambers Asia Pacific 2020 in which she is ranked Band 2 for Environment and Planning in Australia and is praised for "receiving significant endorsements for her climate change and environmental law practice." She is also listed in Best Lawyers for climate change, environment and planning, water and energy law.

 


Professional experience

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  • LLB (Hons), University of Adelaide
  • Masters of Environmental Law, University of Adelaide
  • Lawyer of the Year, Climate Change Law, Best Lawyers (2014-2015, 2018-2019, 2022-2023, 2024-2025)  
  • Climate Change, Best Lawyers (2012 – present)
  • Energy Law, Best Lawyers (2019 – present)
  • Water Law, Best Lawyers (2014 – present)
  • Environment and Planning, Best Lawyers (2014 – present)
  • WWL Thought Leaders: Global Elite 2025 - Thought Leader in the area of Climate Change 
  • Global Law Experts - Climate Change and Sustainability Lawyer of the Year in Australia - 2024
  • Global Law Experts - Environmental Law - Lawyer of the Year in Australia - 2024
  • Corporate INTL Magazine Global Award – Environmental Law – Lawyer of the Year in Australia – 2024
  • Corporate INTL Magazine Global Award – Climate Change and Sustainability Lawyer of the Year in Australia – 2024
  • Who's Who Legal: Environment & Climate Change 2023 – world leading practitioner 
  • The Lawyer Network – Climate Change and Sustainability – Lawyer of the Year in Australia – 2023
  • The Lawyer Network – Environmental Law – Lawyer of the Year in Australia – 2023
  • Highest-ranked Lawyer in WWL: Environment 2023
  • GlobalLaw Experts Climate Change and Sustainability Lawyer of the Year in Australia – 2023
  • GlobalLaw Experts Environmental Law – Lawyer of the Year in Australia – 2023
  • WWL recognition in the Environment & Climate Change chapter of WWL: Australia & New Zealand 2023 – a guide to Australia and New Zealand's leading business lawyers and consulting experts
  • Exert Guides World's leading female practitioners in Environment section
  • The Lawyer Network's Climate Change and Sustainability Lawyer of the Year in Australia (2022)
  • Leading lawyer, Australasian Legal Business Guide for Environmental Law
  • Pre-eminent environment lawyer, Doyle's Guide
  • Recommended lawyer for climate change, PLC Which Lawyer?
  • Listed in International Who's Who Legal Guide for Environment
  • Climate Change Lawyer of the Year in Australia, (2011) Legal Awards conducted by Corporate INTL Magazine
  • Lawyer of the Year, Water Law, Best Lawyers (2020)

​Elisa is recognised in a number of legal directories, including Chambers Asia Pacific 2020 in which she is ranked Band 2 for Environment and Planning in Australia and is praised for "receiving significant endorsements for her climate change and environmental law practice."  She is also listed in Best Lawyers for climate change, environment and planning, water and energy law.

  • Former Chair of the Carbon Market Institute
  • Director of Beyond Zero Emissions
  • Director or Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water Corporation
  • English

Insights

COP29 – half-way update

Publication | November 15, 2024

Road to COP29: Our insights

Publication | November 04, 2024

Nature Positive Summit 2024

Publication | October 15, 2024