Global: Contaminated land guide

John W. Watson chairs the Firm’s North American Environmental Practice Group and leads the coordinated Global Environmental Practice, consistently recognized as the largest environmental practice of any law firm in the world. Mr. Watson has been advising industrial enterprises on managing environmental risks and liabilities arising out of their domestic and international operations for over 25 years.

Elisabet is a Senior Associate experienced Public Law/ Regulatory lawyer in Baker McKenzie's Barcelona office. She has more than 10 years' experience advising heavyweight companies on public law and regulatory issues. Elisabet advises both national and multinational companies on public procurement, administrative compliance, license schemes, environmental, ESG, regulatory, and products-related matters (circular economy and sustainability requirements, green claims, consumer protection issues, etc), including assistance before regulators, authorities, and courts. In addition, she regularly advises private companies on regulatory issues related to business expansion and the opening of new plants/premises. She also advises on litigation and trials related to the areas of specialization. She has extensive experience in the consumer & goods and life sciences sectors. Regarding the life sciences sector, she offers advice to Spanish and foreign life sciences companies and represent them before authorities and courts regarding public procurement issues, price & reimbursement procedures, authorization and registration, promotion and advertising of medicines, and other regulatory issues related to medicinal products, medical devices, cosmetics, food supplements and other foods for particular nutritional uses. She also professor at Pompeu Fabra University, UPF Barcelona School of Management and ESADE Law School in the field of Public Law. She regularly participates in publications and articles related to her specialty.

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Kana Itabashi is a member of the Corporate/M&A practice group at the Firm's Tokyo office and a member of Global International Commercial & Trade practice group. Kana has over twenty years of legal experience and has broad experience advising multinational companies in various industries on international trade and cross border commercial issues, including trade remedies, export control, sanctions, import/export regulatory issues, as well as highly regulated commercial agreements.
Prior to joining the firm, she worked as a junior accountant at a major auditing firm, where she mainly performed accounting audits for listed companies, etc. From 2007 to 2009, she was seconded to the principal investment department of a major Japanese securities company, where she was involved in private equity investments, emissions trading and various other investment projects.

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Federico Ruanova-Guinea has been practicing law since 1988, and is currently the coordinator of the Firm’s environmental and natural resources practice group in Mexico. He practices mainly in the areas of environment and climate change law, with emphasis on environmental impact and risk, as well as the prevention, risks and control of air, water and soil pollution. His practice also covers hazardous substance management, occupational health and safety issues, as well as carbon trading and administrative litigation. Mr. Ruanova-Guinea is a member of the National Association of Corporate Attorneys of Mexico.