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Ursula Steinkemper
Partner

Dr. Ursula Steinkemper

Rechtsanwältin | Fachanwältin für Verwaltungsrecht (Certified lawyer for administrative law) | Head of Energy & Climate Change, Germany

Stuttgart, Germany
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Languages
  • German
  • English
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Ursula Steinkemper advises and represents companies and public authorities on all public law and in particular environmental and planning law issues. She specialises in advising on complex approval and planning assessment procedures, including defending approved projects against actions brought on by third parties or by environmental associations. Furthermore, Ursula has particular expertise advising on public law issues related to energy projects and special know how on contamination and environmental compliance.

Ursula joined CMS in 2003 and became a partner in 2015. She regularly teaches at the University of Heidelberg.

Awards & Recognitions
01 –
  • Quote
    Führender Name im Öffentlichen Wirtschaftsrecht (Planungsrecht)
    JUVE Handbuch, 2024/2025
  • Quote
    „sehr gute u. kluge Kollegin“, Wettbewerber
    JUVE Handbuch, 2024/2025
  • Quote
    „Oft empfohlen“ für Öffentlicher Sektor
    JUVE Handbuch, 2024/2025
  • Quote
    Führender Name im Öffentlichen Wirtschaftsrecht
    JUVE Handbuch, 2023/2024
  • Quote
    „umsichtig u. zielorientiert, sehr angenehmer Umgang“, Wettbewerber
    JUVE Handbuch, 2023/2024
  • Quote
    „Oft empfohlen“ für Öffentlicher Sektor
    JUVE Handbuch, 2023/2024
  • Quote
    Leading lawyer for environmental law
    Kanzleimonitor 2020, 2021
  • Quote
    „Ursula Steinkemper (CMS Stuttgart) verfügt über ein ausgeprägtes Fachwissen, ist schnell, flexibel und zieht bei allen Entscheidungen/Vorschlägen auch wirtschaftliche Aspekte, die für den Mandanten wichtig sind, mit ein. Zudem ist die Zusammenarbeit mit ihr auf rein menschlicher Ebene sehr angenehm.“
    The Legal 500 Deutschland, 2020
  • Quote
    Listed as one of the six next generation partners known for Planning and Environment.
    The Legal 500 EMEA, 2019
  • Quote
    "highly experienced and competent in approval procedures, also client-focused", client
    JUVE German Commercial Law Firms 2022 (GCLF)
  • Quote
    "Recommended" for Environmental and Planning Law
    JUVE German Commercial Law Firms 2022 (GCLF)
  • Quote
    "Miss Dr. Ursula Steinkemper (Stuttgart law firm): Great professional know-how, confident appearance, quick to react, also a very pleasant person on an interpersonal level.", client
    The Legal 500 EMEA, 2022
  • Quote
    Führende Anwältin Umweltrecht
    Kanzleimonitor 2021/2022
  • Quote
    Führende Anwältin Umweltrecht
    Kanzleimonitor 2022/2023
  • Quote
    Führende Anwältin Vertragsrecht
    Kanzleimonitor 2022/2023
  • Quote
    „Oft empfohlen“ für Planungs- und Umweltrecht
    JUVE Handbuch, 2022/2023

Relevant experience

  • Advising various operators of hydroelectric power plants on water law approval procedures and on other environmental and planning law issues
  • Successfully defending the immission control permit granted to the Infraserv GmbH & Co. Höchst KG waste-to-energy plant against an action brought on by an environmental association; main issues involved: conservation and habitats protection
  • Advising and representing a number of industrial companies in complex law suits related to contaminated sites
  • Providing comprehensive public law advice to several energy providers (e.g., Axpo, BKW, EBL, EnBW, EWR plus numerous large public utilities) in the context of acquiring onshore wind farms, mainly on permits, immission control, nature protection, biodiversity conservation and planning law

Publications

  • Klarstellungen des VGH-BW zum Begriff des Auwaldes und zur Zulässigkeit von Hochwasserschutzmaßnahmen (Urteilsbesprechung zu VGH BW, Urt. v. 06.02.24 – 3 S 2989/21), WasserWirtschaft 9/2024, p. 61
  • BImSchG-Novelle zur Beschleunigung von Genehmigungsverfahren, CMS-Blog, 18.06.2024 (together with Ian McKinney)
  • Referentenentwurf EEG („Osterpaket“): Beschleunigung auch im Wasserrecht?, CMS-Blog, 23.03.2022 (together with Dr Insa Nutzhorn)
  • BVerfG: Klima-Verfassungsbeschwerden gegen Bundesländer ohne Erfolg, CMS-Blog, 02.02.2022 (together with Dr Marielle Schuster)
  • "Umweltschadensgesetz: Keine Zurechnung von Gutachterverschulden" – CMS Blog, 25.09.2018
  • "Ausbau von Infrastruktur stockt: Große Koalition will Planungsverfahren beschleunigen" (gemeinsam mit Dr. Christiane Kappes) – Legal Tribune Online vom 07.03.2018
  • "Infrastrukturausbau in Deutschland verzögert sich" (gemeinsam mit Dr. Christiane Kappes) – Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung vom 19.05.2017, page 13
  • "Stuttgarter Luftreinhalteplan vor dem BVerwG?: Zwischen hellgrün und dunkelrot" – Legal Tribune Online, 03.08.2017
  • "Es ginge auch schneller!" (gemeinsam mit Dr. Christiane Kappes) – NJW-aktuell – Recht im Unternehmen, 37/2017, page 18
  • "Erleichterte Klagemöglichkeiten gegen umweltrelevante Vorhaben" – WWT – Recht & Gesetz, Umweltrecht, 11-12/2016, p. 22 ff.
  • Environmental Rules, Doing Business in Europe, 2017, Sweet & Maxwell (together with Dr. Dirk Rodewoldt/Dr. Volkmar Wagner)
  • Uckermarkleitung vorerst gestoppt PUBLICUS – Der Online-Spiegel für das Öffentliche Recht, 2016.7, p. 13 ff
  • Keine Einschränkung der bodenschutzrechtlichen Verantwortlichkeit durch Untätigkeit der Behörden, EurUP 2014, p. 128 ff
  • Beitragsberechnung bei der Nacherhebung von Anschlussbeiträgen in der Praxis, BWGZ 6/2012, p. 208 ff (together with Christof Kehle)
  • Energiewende auf dem Dach, PUBLICUS – Der Online Spiegel für das Öffentliche Recht, 2011.7, p. 14 ff
  • Bericht: 16. Baden-Württembergischer Verwaltungsrechtstag, VBlBW 2010, p. 108 ff
  • Grundstücksentwässerungsanlagen – Baurecht versus Wasserrecht?, bi-Umwelt 2009, p. 90 ff
  • Neuregelungen des BauGB durch das Europarechtsanpassungsgesetz Bau (EAG Bau), VBlBW 2004, p. 401 ff

Memberships & Roles

  • German Association for Environmental Law (GfU)
  • Arge Verwaltungsrecht im DAV

Lectures list

  • “Conflicting goals of the green transformation’” lecture at an online event hosted by the German Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations on 13.03.2025
  • Lecture on "The requirement for improvement in the approval of projects", Water Law Colloquium at the Institute of Water and Waste Management Law at the University of Bonn, 18.10.2024
  • Moderator of the panel "Wind, forest and meadows – How do we help the (municipal) administration authorities to understand, enable and embrace the energy transition?" at the East German Energy Forum 2023 in Leipzig, 13.09./14.09.2023
  • Moderator of the CMS Night Talk as part of the East German Economic Forum 2023 "Our home is burning! Industry demands to accelerate the energy transition", 12.06.2023 (together with Dr Ulrich Becker)
  • Lecture on "Acceleration of the energy transition and legally compliant approval procedures – a conflict of objectives?" at Schloss Elmau during the CMS event "Alternative Conflict Resolution 2023", 09.05./10.05.2023
  • Panel member on the topic "Offshore – Onshore: An industry on the rise?" during the Handelsblatt Energy Summit, 17.01.2023
  • "Current challenges under immission control regulations in the approval or modification of industrial plants - implications in practice" lecture at T.A. Cook Annual Meeting 2020 "Approval management for new construction and conversion of industrial plants”, 01.10.2020, Berlin
  • Workshop "Climate change in court - new risks for companies" (together with Dr Thomas Lennarz) at the German Association of General Counsel Congress (BUJ), 21.09.2021, Berlin
  • "Planning approval and planning permission proceedings", seminar for FORUM Institut (together with Reinhard Wilke, higher administrative court judge), several times, the last on 05./06.03.2020 in Hamburg
  • Workshop "Climate change in court - new risks for companies" (together with Dr Thomas Lennarz) at the German Association of General Counsel Congress (BUJ), 22.11.2019, München
  • "The reference situation under water and environmental law for the approval of hydropower plants", lecture at the "Current developments in water law" event at the University of Trier, 15.10.2019, Frankfurt am Main
  • "Effective preparation and implementation of approval proceedings", workshop (together with Dr Jürgen Steiner) and "Amendments after granting of approval", lecture at the T.A. Cook Annual Meeting 2019 "Approval management for new construction and conversion of industrial plants", 14.05.2019, Düsseldorf
  • "Amendments after approval: nature conservation and protection of the species vs. reliance on the existing permits?", lecture (together with Dr Neele Christiansen) at CMS Environmental and Planning Law Day 2019, 28.03.2019, Frankfurt am Main
  • "Managing complex permit procedures from a legal and practical point of view", workshop with Dr Harald Noichl and "Public participation in permit procedures", lecture at 2018 conference on permit management, T.A. Cook, 16./17.04.2018, Berlin
  • "Public involvement in formal procedures – theory and practice, best practices and optimisation possibilities", moderation and podium discussion, CMS Environmental and Planning Law Day 2018, 01.03.2018, Frankfurt am Main
  • "Get things going – the challenge of public involvement in major projects", podium discussion, CMS Dispute Resolution Retreat 2017, 15./16.11.2017, Hamburg
  • "Legal frame conditions for dismantling industrial plants", lecture at 2017 conference on plant dismantling, T.A. Cook, 17./18.01.2017, Berlin
  • "Reviewing the situation: determinants of the duration of proceedings for approving projects", CMS Environmental and Planning Law Day 2017, 26.03.2017, Frankfurt am Main
  • "Creating acceptance – civic participation in construction projects" at an event hosted by Feldhoff & Cie., 19.09.2016, Stuttgart
  • "Current case law in environmental and planning law", CMS Environmental and Planning Law Day 2016, 16.03.2016, Frankfurt am Main
  • "Examination of the relevance of the EU Habitats Directive to project approval – environmental and legal factors in substantiating irrelevance and de minimis thresholds in respect of nitrogen levels" (in conjunction with Dr Stefan Balla), lecture at the 22nd Baden-Württemberg Administrative Law Symposium on 08.07.2015 in Mannheim
  • "Dealing with drainage water from private property", lecture at IKT Workshop, 18.06.2015 in Reutlingen
  • "Development of former industrial and commercial premises – legal issues", lecture at an event hosted by ImmoEBS e.V. on 10.11.2014 in Stuttgart
  • "Exceptions and exemptions from the stipulations of the development plan", lecture at an event hosted by ImmoEBS e.V. and ADI GmbH on 14.10.2013 in Stuttgart
  • "Interfaces between implications of emission protection and waste protection of the IED on plant permits", lecture at the T.A. Cook Waste Management Conference on 28/29.11.2012 in Berlin
  • "Dealing with substances which endanger water", lecture on 21.11.2012 at the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce
  • "Current environmental law provisions - what you need to know", 12th EUROFORUM Annual Conference, 21.03.2012, Düsseldorf
  • "Public law framework conditions and necessary steps – commercial property as a solar power plant", lecture on 20.09.2011, Stuttgart
  • "The Act on Legal Remedies in Environmental Matters in practice", lecture at Saxony Administrative Law Conference on 28/29.05.2010
  • Cleaning-up real property waste water plants - legal basis and requirements, lecture on 24.02.2010 in Dresden, on 23.03.2010 in Chemnitz and on 24.03.2010 in Leipzig

Education

  • Certified lawyer for administrative law
  • Trainee lawyer in Freiburg and Berlin
  • PhD on a constitutional law topic
  • Research assistant at the Institute of Public Law, University of Freiburg
  • Law studies at the Universities of Trier and Freiburg
Practice Areas
Environmental Law Public construction and planning law, project development Public Commercial Law & Procurement Climate Change, EEG and the Environment
sectors
Energy & Climate Change Energy storage

Insights by Ursula

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