Youens Attorneys
Environmental & Conservation Law · Est. 2006
Youens Attorneys acts for conservation organisations, wildlife institutions, community groups, and private sector clients on environmental law matters that require deep specialist knowledge and sustained personal attention.
The firm has worked this way since it was founded in 2006. Kirsten Youens founded this practice with a specific purpose: to do environmental and conservation law for a small number of clients, without compromise on the quality of attention each matter receives. That has not changed. The firm remains deliberately small. When you instruct Youens Attorneys, you work directly with Kirsten.
Kirsten holds a Masters in Environmental Law cum laude from the University of Natal, completed in 2003, with a thesis on animal rights and legal standing, a subject that now sits at the centre of conservation litigation globally. She was admitted as an attorney of the High Court in 1999 and acquired the right of appearance in 2018.
In 2019, Kirsten co-founded All Rise, a women-led non-profit registered law clinic for climate and environmental justice based in Durban, and remains its co-founder and director. She has presented at the World Forum on Climate Justice in Glasgow, the Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Summit in both Maputo and Lusaka, and directly to UN Special Rapporteurs for Human Rights Defenders and for Toxics and Waste.
She has published on coastal management, groundwater pollution, the transportation of dangerous goods, and integrated environmental management. She has featured in documentary film and television coverage of mining threats to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi and Thula Thula, and has featured on the podcast Just Us and the Climate. She is an active member of the Wild Animal Protection Forum of South Africa and the Wildlife Well-Being Forum.
In 2023, All Rise received the Eco-Logic Eco-Warrior Award and the Mail and Guardian Greening the Future Award in the Mining category. Kirsten was awarded the Woza Africa Award for Outstanding Human Rights Activist, Social Justice Activist, and Pro Bono Woman Lawyer.
- Eco-Logic Eco-Warrior Award, 2023 (All Rise)
- Mail & Guardian Greening the Future Award – Mining category, 2023 (All Rise)
- Woza Africa Award – Outstanding Human Rights Activist, 2023
- Woza Africa Award – Social Justice Activist, 2023
- Woza Africa Award – Pro Bono Woman Lawyer, 2023
“My work is an investment, not a job. In this work I feel I’ve found my purpose.”
Kirsten YouensSpecialist counsel at the intersection of biodiversity, justice, and wildlife
Specialist legal counsel at the intersection of biodiversity, environmental justice, and the rights of both communities and wildlife.
Wildlife Permitting & CITES
Full-spectrum permitting under CITES and national legislation, covering sanctuary permits, captive breeding authorisations, import and export compliance, predator management plans, and game acquisition permits.
Protected Species Advocacy
Dedicated advocacy for Africa’s most vulnerable wildlife, with specialist focus on elephant, lion, leopard, rhinoceros, and cheetah — navigating domestic and international legal frameworks to secure meaningful protections.
Marine Protection & Sustainability
Advice and litigation on marine protected areas, coastal biodiversity, and the legal frameworks governing sustainable use of marine resources.
Environmental Justice Litigation
Strategic litigation on behalf of communities and ecosystems, holding polluters, developers, and regulators to account where environmental laws have been ignored or misapplied.
Opposition to Mining & Prospecting
Challenging mining and prospecting applications in biodiversity-sensitive areas, including objections, appeals, and judicial review in areas of significant ecological value.
Environmental Impact Assessment
Expert advice on EIA processes, including public participation rights, comment submissions, and administrative appeals against approvals that fail to meet legal or environmental standards.
Pollution, Remediation & Waste
Legal action and regulatory engagement on pollution incidents, contaminated land remediation, and waste management compliance — from industrial sites to agricultural runoff.
Water Rights & Management
Advice on water use licences, riparian rights, inter-basin transfers, and disputes arising from the allocation and management of water resources under national water legislation.
Climate Justice & Litigation
Pursuing accountability for climate harm through the courts and regulatory bodies, with a focus on communities disproportionately affected by emissions, environmental degradation, and policy failures.
Policy & Legislative Commentary
Substantive commentary on draft environmental and biodiversity legislation, engagement in public consultation processes, and advocacy for stronger, more effective legal frameworks.
Corporate Compliance & Risk
Environmental risk auditing and compliance advisory for private sector clients, ensuring operations meet legislative requirements and identifying exposure before it becomes liability.
Youens Attorneys acts for conservation organisations, wildlife institutions, community groups, and private sector clients on environmental law matters that require deep specialist knowledge and sustained personal attention. The firm has worked this way since it was founded in 2006.