Alistair Young
Alistair Young is a Director in our Corporate & Commercial practice. He completed his articles through a general practice firm of Attorneys based in Cape Town whereafter he specialised in the practice of Environmental Law, with a particular focus on drafting and presenting the environmental findings of due diligence investigations for lenders and investors regarding wind and solar (concentrated and photovoltaic) projects associated with the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme as well as coal independent power producer projects and the funding of new mine projects.
Alistair has developed and presented online renewable energy workshops that focus on the environmental authorisation, licensing and permit requirements of renewable energy projects and the numerous environmental legal complications that could arise during the project development and operational phases.
About Alistair
About Alistair
Alistair is an admitted Attorney who completed his tertiary education at the University of Cape Town where he obtained a BA degree specialising in environmental science, a LLB degree, and a Master’s degree focusing on International and South African Environmental Law.
His focus of due diligence investigations was on identifying the environmental legal risks associated with such projects including the environmental licensing, permitting and authorisation requirements and possible objections and appeals by interested and affected parties. Alistair has also represented numerous renewable energy developers relating to appeals and judicial reviews by interested and affected parties against the issuing of environmental authorisations for proposed renewable energy projects.
Alistair joined Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr as a Senior Associate in 2022 and was appointed as a Director in 2023.
Credentials
Credentials
Education
- Registered with the Legal Practice Council
- BA (Environmental Science), University of Cape Town, 1997 to 1999
- LLB, University of Cape Town, 2000 to 2002
- LLM (Environmental Law), University of Cape Town, 2003 to 2004
- Practical Legal Training (PLT) programme January 2004 – June 2004
- GRI Certified Course on Sustainability Reporting
- Practice Management Training – LEAD, June – October 2021
- Admitted and enrolled as an Attorney in the Cape of Good Hope Provincial Division, March 2006
Languages
Languages
- English
About Alistair
Alistair is an admitted Attorney who completed his tertiary education at the University of Cape Town where he obtained a BA degree specialising in environmental science, a LLB degree, and a Master’s degree focusing on International and South African Environmental Law.
His focus of due diligence investigations was on identifying the environmental legal risks associated with such projects including the environmental licensing, permitting and authorisation requirements and possible objections and appeals by interested and affected parties. Alistair has also represented numerous renewable energy developers relating to appeals and judicial reviews by interested and affected parties against the issuing of environmental authorisations for proposed renewable energy projects.
Alistair joined Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr as a Senior Associate in 2022 and was appointed as a Director in 2023.
Credentials
Education
- Registered with the Legal Practice Council
- BA (Environmental Science), University of Cape Town, 1997 to 1999
- LLB, University of Cape Town, 2000 to 2002
- LLM (Environmental Law), University of Cape Town, 2003 to 2004
- Practical Legal Training (PLT) programme January 2004 – June 2004
- GRI Certified Course on Sustainability Reporting
- Practice Management Training – LEAD, June – October 2021
- Admitted and enrolled as an Attorney in the Cape of Good Hope Provincial Division, March 2006
Languages
- English
Experience
Advising Cennergi in respect of its Lephalale photovoltaic (PV) project, which entails the development, financing, construction and operation of a circa 80MW PV plant that will supply the Grootegeluk mine with energy under a long-term power purchase agreement. The project is part of Exxaro's decarbonisation strategy with a gradual diversification away from the coal generated electricity and by investing in growth in clean energy. As part of conducting a due diligence process, our team is responsible for assisting and advising on all necessary consents and permits that are required for financial close. The mandate has also extended to providing additional assistance with project development.
Advising Engie as the purchaser in the proposed sale and the proposed-on sale of the entire shareholding interest in the target or by certain of the target's wholly-owned subsidiaries of their entire shareholding in various of the target's wholly-owned subsidiaries to Engie. Furthermore, the proposed on-sale by Engie of all of the shares held by the target group in the Kipeto Project Company (or the Kipeto Project Company's holding company) to Meridiam following the implementation of the proposed transaction. In this matter, we played a significant role in setting out the high level key aspects of environmental law compliance in respect of each of the relevant members of the target group. The environmental legal assessment pertained to a number of operational projects of the target, including Golden Valley Project, Kipeto Project, Konkonsies Project and MSP Solar.
Drafting and presenting the environmental findings of due diligence investigations for lenders and investors regarding wind and solar (concentrated and photovoltaic) projects associated with the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme as well as coal independent power producer projects and the funding of new mine projects.
Drafting environmental and health and safety sections of both vendor and red flag due diligence reports relating to a wide spectrum of industries in sectors including but not limited to retail, food and beverage manufacturing, waste management, import, manufacture and distribution of hazardous chemical substances, mining, medical, petroleum, small-scale household and industrial solar energy and aviation.
Advising and assisting a junior gold mining company with formulating responses to directives issued by the Department of Water and Sanitation in terms of section 53 of the National Water Act.
Formulating and developing environmental law course content and thereafter presenting the training sessions for clients in the mining and industrial sectors. The training courses covered a range of environmental law issues including water, waste, air quality, EIA, mining, director liability and biodiversity.
Assisting developers of renewable energy projects with the drafting of answering affidavits to judicial review applications initiated by interested and affected parties against the administrative decisions to grant environmental authorisations for renewable energy facilities.
Alistair has assisted various clients operating in different sectors with strategic environmental legal advice relating to environmental legal compliance in scenarios where compliance action has been threatened or initiated.
News
The impact of the Climate Change Act on the mining sector
The Climate Change Act 22 of 2024 (Act) was signed into law on 23 July 2024, which represents a key development in the country’s ongoing commitment to tackling environmental consequences...
Misalignment dilemma between the Climate Change Act and Energy Sector planning
Alistair Young, Director in the Corporate & Commercial practice, and Alecia Pienaar, Counsel in the same practice, were featured as contributors in The Legal Industry Reviews South...
Small town Regional Court ruling has big-time environmental liability consequences for a company director
The long-standing yet seldomly relied upon director liability provision – section 34(7) in the National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998 (NEMA) – finally bared its substantial...
Impact of the Climate Change Act on the Agriculture Sector
More than six years after it was first released for public comment, the Climate Change Act 22 of 2024 (Act) was signed into law by President Ramaphosa on 23 July 2024. Importantly,...
The ban on drones in angling
The fishing industry has experienced a drastic transformation since the introduction of drone technology and other remote-controlled devices in fishing practices. These innovative...
Expertise
Corporate & Commercial Law
Our strong legal team is well versed in legislative matters and provides support across all commercial disciplines.
Environmental Law
We provide skilled and practical advice in this specialised field of law.
Agriculture, Aquaculture & Fishing
We use our expertise across our disciplines to support our clients' growth and sustainability in the agriculture, aquaculture, and fishing sectors.
Oil & Gas
Our Oil and Gas team has substantial legal expertise across the value chain.