Guthrie Legal is a leading provider of modern environmental law support tailored for Australian corporate and government clients. The firm is led by Gabrielle Guthrie, a distinguished environment, planning, and climate change lawyer with dual qualifications in England & Wales and Australia. With over 20 years of tactical and technical expertise, Gabrielle established Guthrie Legal in 2016 as a sole practitioner law practice, aiming to deliver the crucial support clients need in a manner that best suits them. The firm collaborates with corporate and government clients, often those with operations spanning multiple Australian jurisdictions, offering services to commercially minded managers, general managers, in-house lawyers, C-suite executives, and boards who seek clarity on legal requirements and risk management from a knowledgeable independent lawyer.
Emphasising a modern approach to environmental law, Guthrie Legal fosters long-term relationships through an accessible and collaborative working style, supported by an established network of environmental experts. The firm offers flexible service delivery, ranging from one-off project advice to longer-term retainers, serving as fractional in-house environmental and planning lawyers, and providing substantial project support for national compliance, governance, or major ventures. Interdisciplinary work is a cornerstone of the practice, integrating environmental and planning consultants into advisory teams as necessary.
The values and focus of Guthrie Legal encompass practical, commercial outcomes, transforming organisational approaches to environmental risk and compliance, and minimising corporate, director, and reputational risk. Active industry engagement is pursued through speaking engagements, publications via the Environment Express Blog, and pro bono efforts supporting environmental NGOs. The firm is affiliated with numerous professional and industry bodies, including the Australian Environment Business Network, Australasian Land & Groundwater Association, and the Professional Environmental Women’s Association.
Guthrie Legal's services encompass Environmental Advisory, focusing on Compliance, Governance, Enforcement & Risk, as well as Contamination, Major Projects & Environmental Impact Assessment, Transaction & Due Diligence, Renewables, Essential Services, Transport & Utilities, and ESG/Climate/Clean & Green Tech. Legal advice is also provided in areas like environmental licensing and permitting, environmental management systems, legal risk gap analysis, pollution incident management, regulatory reporting, corporate defence against regulatory enforcement, structuring investigations, contamination and remediation guidance, approvals and planning law, along with tailored briefings and training for boards and executives.
