UKELA - UK Environmental Law Association

What UKELA - UK Environmental Law Association does

UKELA (UK Environmental Law Association) is a UK-registered charity (Charity No. 299498, Company No. 2133283) established in 1987 and operating as the leading UK membership forum for environmental law. It serves a community of over 2,000 professionals—solicitors, barristers, environmental and planning consultants, in-house counsel, academics, students, statutory bodies, and NGOs—by combining individual and organisational membership tiers with specialist Working Parties (climate change, marine, water, waste, planning, environmental litigation, noise, nature conservation), Regional Groups across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, a new Governance & Devolution Group, and a Junior UKELA early-career network.

The organisation's core product surface is its membership programme, layered with the bi-monthly elaw digital journal, a podcast series produced with No5 Chambers and Rubber Ears, an annual hybrid conference, Wild Law Weekends, and a Reading Room archive. Working parties produce consultation responses to government, providing the association with a recognised independent voice in UK environmental law and policy. Membership is managed through the iMIS CRM platform, with the website, weekly newsletter (reaching 5,000+ contacts), podcasts, LinkedIn, and hybrid events functioning as the primary engagement channels.

Revenue is generated through tiered subscription membership fees (individual £15–£99, organisational £109–£640), event ticket sales, corporate sponsorship of conferences and events (Cornerstone Barristers, Landmark Chambers, 6 Pump Court, RSK Group, Burges Salmon), and job/recruitment advertising in the newsletter and website. UKELA has approximately 57 staff (volunteer-led with trustees, working party convenors, and regional convenors serving unpaid), a head office in London (registered), and a postal address in Dorking, and operates within the United Kingdom as its primary geography with a small international membership tier.

Name

UKELA - UK Environmental Law Association

Legal name

UK Environmental Law Association

Website

https://ukela.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

UKELA is the UK membership association for environmental law, serving 2,000+ solicitors, barristers, consultants, academics, students, and statutory bodies through tiered membership, specialist working parties, regional networks, the elaw journal, podcasts, and an annual conference.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Energy Law (BPAHAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH), Environmental Compliance & Permitting (BPAHAJAA), NEPA/EA/EIS & Public Consultation (EUAHAAAB)

Keywords

• Environmental law membership
• Professional association services
• Legal policy advocacy
• Continuing legal education
• Industry working groups

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership subscriptions from individuals and organisations form the primary funding source. Individual memberships range from £15 (student/unwaged) to £99 (private company). Organisational memberships range from £109 (not-for-profit/local authority) to £640 (private company).
2. Events Income: Revenue generated from annual conference tickets, working party events, and other member events. Members receive discounted rates compared to non-members.
3. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship of annual conferences and events. Conference sponsors include law chambers (Cornerstone Barristers, Landmark Chambers, 6 Pump Court), professional services firms (RSK Group, Burges Salmon), and other organisations.
4. Advertising Revenue: Fees charged for advertising job vacancies and events on the UKELA website and in weekly newsletter. Reaches 5,000+ contacts including environmental lawyers, consultants, policy-makers, academics, and students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

UKELA is the UK's leading membership association for environmental law, offering annual memberships to individuals and organisations. Members receive access to a bi-monthly digital journal (elaw), podcasts, working parties, regional networks, the Annual Conference, consultation responses, an online resource library (Reading Room), and discounted rates on events and continuing professional development. The organisation also influences environmental law and policy through published consultation responses submitted to UK government.

Product overview

UKELA is a membership-based professional association rather than a technology product company. Its offering is a unified membership service comprising interconnected components: annual membership access (individual and organisational tiers), the bi-monthly elaw journal, podcasts, an Annual Conference, specialist Working Parties and Groups, consultation responses, a Reading Room resource library, regional networks, Wild Law programme, Junior UKELA for early-career members, and student activities. These services are delivered primarily through the UKELA website (ukela.org) and the iMIS membership management system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• elaw: UKELA's digital journal and newsletter sent to members every two months, covering environmental law topics, news, and events
• Wild law

Products and services

• UKELA Membership Annual membership providing access to events, the elaw journal, working parties, regional networks, consultation responses, and members-only resources. Available in individual and organisational categories with tiered pricing based on employment sector.
• elaw Journal Bi-monthly digital journal and newsletter keeping members informed about UKELA news, events, new law, hot topics, and practice matters. Members receive themed editions and access to the complete archive.
• UKELA Podcasts Podcast series covering topical environmental law themes, including discussions with practitioners, academics, and experts on climate change, nature conservation, and environmental regulation. Produced in partnership with No5 Chambers and other organisations.
• Annual Conference Annual flagship event bringing together environmental law professionals for presentations, discussions, and networking. Held as hybrid events with both in-person attendance at UK universities and online participation.
• Working Parties and Groups Specialist groups covering environmental law themes including Climate Change and Energy, Nature Conservation, Marine, Water, Waste and Circular Economy, Planning and Sustainable Development, Environmental Litigation, and Noise and Nuisance. Groups submit consultation responses and engage with government on policy.
• Consultation Responses UKELA's specialist working parties prepare and submit responses to government consultations, calls for evidence, and inquiries, providing an independent expert voice on environmental law and policy.
• Reading Room Online resource library containing papers from past Annual Conferences, Garner lectures, Brexit-related work, governance documents including annual accounts and strategy, and external environmental law resource links.
• Regional Networks Regional groups covering England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, providing local networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities for environmental law professionals.
• Wild Law Programme Activities exploring holistic approaches to law and governance based on ecological principles, including annual wild law weekends held outdoors in natural settings and events promoting understanding of rewilding concepts.
• Junior UKELA Network for postgraduate practitioners in the first few years of their environmental law career, offering events, mentoring, and early career support.
• Student Activities Resources and activities supporting the next generation of environmental lawyers, including student membership, educational resources, and career development opportunities.
• ENDS Report Discount Membership Benefit New members receive a 12.5% discount on quarterly ENDS Report subscriptions, providing access to independent intelligence for environmental professionals covering carbon, environmental and sustainability agenda.
• Charitable Donations Donations accepted by UKELA to support its charitable mission of promoting the enhancement and conservation of the environment and advancing education in environmental law.
• Job and Event Advertising Advertising service for employers and event organisers to post job vacancies and event listings on the UKELA website and in its weekly newsletter, reaching 5,000+ environmental law contacts. Organisational members receive reduced advertising rates.

Quantifiable outcome

• UKELA's consultation responses are frequently referred to in government consultations showing collective voice is heard
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• No5 ChamberscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUKELA produces a podcast series with No5 Chambers, featuring trustee Odette Chalaby and Richard Kimblin KC. No5 Chambers provides professional sound production support through Rubber Ears. The podcasts cover environmental law topics including climate change, environmental impact assessment, nature conservation, and human rights and environmental regulation.
• Law and Your EnvironmentcoreOthersRelated website (environmentlaw.org.uk) offering plain guide to environmental law for members of the public with environmental problems. UKELA directs members with detailed environmental questions to this resource.
• ENDS ReportminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUKELA offers new members a 12.5% discount on quarterly ENDS Report subscription, providing access to independent environmental professional intelligence.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Law Society of England and Wales: The professional body for solicitors in England and Wales. Compares as a much larger incumbent membership organisation covering the legal profession broadly, of which UKELA is a specialist subsection for environmental law.
• General Council of the Bar: The professional body for barristers in England and Wales. Comparable as a larger incumbent membership organisation representing barristers, of which UKELA is the specialist environmental law subset drawing heavily from the Bar.
• Society for Legal Scholars (SLS): UK learned society for academic lawyers. Compares to UKELA as a UK legal membership association with overlapping academic and practitioner constituencies, though primarily academic-led.
• British Institute of International and Comparative Law: UK-based independent research and membership body covering international and comparative law. Compares to UKELA as an adjacent legal membership/research organisation with similar publication and convening activities.

Direct peers

• Environmental Law Institute (ELI): US-based non-profit that researches and convenes around environmental law, policy, and governance. Closest international counterpart to UKELA, with similar research, publications, and policy engagement model.
• Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM): UK chartered membership body for water and environmental professionals. Highly comparable to UKELA as a similar membership-based association serving environmental practitioners with similar networking, events, and policy advocacy activities.
• Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH): UK membership body for environmental health professionals. Compares to UKELA as a chartered membership association offering training, events, publications, and policy influence to environmental professionals across the UK.

Regional players

• Environmental Law Association (Ireland): Ireland's membership association for environmental law practitioners. Direct model-comparable to UKELA but operating in a different national jurisdiction with overlapping but distinct policy focus.
• Australian Environmental Law Association: Membership association for environmental lawyers in Australia. Compares to UKELA as a near-identical model (membership body, environmental law focus, policy advocacy) but operating in a different geography.

Others

• ENDS Report (LexisNexis): Long-established independent intelligence service for environmental professionals that UKELA partners with for member discounts. Comparable as a content-and-intelligence provider rather than a membership body, serving overlapping audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ukela

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UKELA - UK Environmental Law Association