Kirstin Roberts FCIWM

Cases

At her former firm, Kristin:

• Personally carved out a sector specialism to the extent that considered as an expert in the Waste and Renewables sector at her former firm, with clients such as FCC Environment, Wastecycle, Johnson Aggregates and Severn Waste.
• Client Care lead for FCC Environment. Instrumental in developing the account from being purely corporate to predominantly a commercial team client under a monthly retainer, which has been in place since 2013 (as well as now also instructing the litigation, construction, employment and property teams). Had two secondments with FCC (for 6 month periods) in 2008 and 2012.
• As a Centre Council member with Midlands CIWM, has worked with CIWM, HSE and IOSH, and engaged in industry consultation responses to government, as well as addressing the furtherance of the compliance agenda for applicable legislation and regulations. E.g: IOSH Environment and Waste Management Group response to the Government consultations on the revised Waste Framework Directive and Hazardous Waste Strategy. Also co-hosted a Mock Trial for IOSH/CIWM members based on a national health and safety incident in the waste industry.
• Identified the need for and progressed her former firm’s group procurement process for the plc and all subsidiaries. This included the creation of an appropriate governance process, documentation and implementation (including training) across the organisation. The Group FD commented that: “Instigated new processes for the support teams to work to and assesses key contracts of the firm, often at short notice, very well. Given that this work doesn’t help Kirstin personally with her chargeable hours and fees targets we have been extremely grateful to Kirstin … for all her help. She has driven difficult conversations with suppliers and helped achieve the best outcomes on contracts thereby minimizing risk for the firm in the long term. She definitely knows her law and I am glad she is on our side!”
• Improving cross-team engagement and planning, including through the initiation of a weekly call for all team fee earners below associate level in order to create a team spirit across a geographically dispersed team.
• Responsible for coordinating all corporate due diligence work within the national commercial team. A peer outside the team commented that: “Kirstin’s contribution to the team really stands out and is a powerful and important factor in helping achieve greater cohesion and direction within the team. Effectively she takes responsibility for managing the work levels of the non-partner contingent in the team and this plays a vital role in making CTM more effective as a unit.”
• Drafted a Heat Supply agreement with a major water treatment company, advising the SPV – this will be the first of 5 contracts with this water treatment company and have already concluded a heat supply agreement with a different major water treatment company for the same client.
• Advising a supplier of waste wood in terminating contracts in connection with an efw plant as a result of a change in EA guidance on wood fines, having originally negotiated the contract with the efw owner.
• Negotiating a services agreement for the provision of IBA off taking services on behalf of a metals recycler and drafting and negotiating a collection, haulage and treatment contract with the same client’s subcontractor.
• Finalising the Asset Transfer Agreement for a major housebuilder in connection with a Combined Heat and Power plant on an estate and the Energy Services agreement previously negotiated with the housebuilder’s O&M provider.
• Reviewing and commenting on an Energy Services Agreement on behalf of the developer.
• For a major waste company, have just finished negotiating a collections agreement with a local council and currently negotiating another contract with a local council for Provision of Waste Collection, Recycling, Cleansing and Associated Services. Also advising on change of law implications on another contract. For the same client have also, over the years advised on everything from skip hire terms and conditions to haulage agreements, disputes, feedstock agreements and agreements with contractors for efw plants.