Laura van der Meer, Esq.
Laura is an environmental lawyer-lobbyist currently serving as the Director of International Environmental Resources SPRL, located in Brussels, Belgium. Laura specializes in the field of international environmental law and policy, focusing on multilateral environmental agreements concerning in situ and ex situ conservation, international movement of endangered species, access to genetic resources, alien species, biosafety, and biotechnology. For over ten years, Laura has assisted companies, associations and non-profits to access and address issues of concern at international conferences including CITES, the convention on Biological Diversity, and the Aarhus Convention on Public Information and Participation in Environmental Matters. Laura’s work also includes providing assistance to institutes and organizations engaged in public display of animals concerning regulations and legislative developments in the European Community and its 25 Member States.
She currently serves as the Permanent Representative of the European Circus Association in Brussels. Prior to establishing her consulting company, Laura practiced law for 8 years with the firm Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.C. in its Washington DC and Brussels offices. With this expertise, Laura has represented the International Elephant Foundation for the last four years at CITES conferences and related meetings.
In addition to her law degree from the Marshall Wythe School of Law and the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, Laura has a Masters in Educational Administration from the University of Missouri, bringing a background in education to IEF.