Following the customary summer meetings, this year The Lex Fellowship also brought an unexpected winter gathering to our Firm—an occasion marked by fresh energy, new questions and a notably mature perspective on the role of environmental law. The students stood out for the diversity of their academic backgrounds, their critical approach and their genuine interest in the practical implications of legal rules for institutions, businesses and citizens alike.

The meeting, coordinated by Gelsomina Russo Corvace, focused on the evolution of international and European environmental law: from sources of hard law and soft law to the shift from “functional environmentalism” to a true form of “global environmentalism”, and on to the most recent developments in the governance of common spaces, including the High Seas Treaty. Particular attention was devoted to the role of the European Union and its regulatory framework, grounded in the TFEU, in turning environmental protection into a structural driver of public policies and market regulation.

The discussion centred on three key principles of environmental law—precaution, prevention and the polluter pays principle—and on their impact on risk management, corporate compliance and liability for environmental damage. What emerged clearly was that these principles are far from being confined to theory: they directly affect public safety, the protection of natural resources and the development strategies of economic actors.

Our sincere thanks go to The Lex Fellowship and to all the students for their thoughtful and engaging participation. For B-HSE Società tra Avvocati, dialogue with the legal professionals of tomorrow is not merely an opportunity for academic discussion, but an essential part of how we envision the future of environmental law and its role in the transition towards more sustainable models of growth.