Nicola Power BA Hons, MEng, PGDL
Senior Lecturer
Summary
Before joining Sheffield Hallam University in 2018, I worked for 15 years as a lawyer specialising in environmental law. I now teach law to students studying courses in the Department of the Natural and Built Environment.
Before training as a lawyer, I graduated in engineering from The University of Cambridge and worked for a few years in a multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy. My interest in environmental law comes, in part, from its interweaving of the legal and the technical. I have particular expertise and experience in contaminated land and land quality matters.
I continue to be involved with professionals in the real estate and land quality sector and have been on the Steering Group of the Yorkshire Contaminated Land Forum since 2009.
About
I began my career as a civil engineer, specialising in geotechnical and environmental issues.
I worked for a few years as an engineering consultant and gained a wide range of experience. This included working on infrastructure projects and development projects, and in undertaking compliance monitoring of waste facilities. It also included risk assessment of potentially contaminated sites and carrying out due diligence environmental audits of industrial facilities.
I then studied law and secured a training contract at a magic circle law firm. I had placements there in real estate, environment, intellectual property and corporate teams. On qualification in 2003, I began specialising in environmental law and worked in commercial law firms advising a variety of organisations from large property funds to public bodies and environmental NGOs. My advice covered a wide range of environmental risks, particularly those relating to real estate and development and the waste, mining and minerals sectors. My particular areas of expertise include contaminated land, geotechnical issues, waste regulation and the reuse of materials and industrial permitting.
I now teach law relating to the environment and the built environment to students studying on real estate, surveying and other related courses, as well as teaching professional skills.
Teaching
School of Engineering and Built Environment
Undergraduate and postgraduate built environment courses
Department of the Natural and Built Environment
I teach built environment law to surveying, real estate, construction students, including on the following modules:
- Law and Economics for the Built Environment (a first year undergraduate introductory module)
- Property Law & Professional Context (a module on the RICS accredited MSc conversion programme)
- Construction Law & Professional Context (a module on the RICS accredited MSc conversion programme)
- Law, Economics & Finance (a module on the BSc Business Property Management course
In addition, I teach environmental law topics on the Environmental Protection module (part of the BSc Environmental Science course).