Dr. Anna von Rebay LL.M
CEO & Founder
"We can create as many new Ocean protection treaties as we want. If we are not starting to judicially enforce and use them, they will remain elusive. It is thus my mission to enforce existing marine protection obligations to make marine protection effective in this UN Ocean Decade."
Dr Anna von Rebay is a litigator, legal strategist, and the CEO and founder of Ocean Vision Legal. She leads a new generation of direct legal action to stop destructive human activities in the Ocean, and to make Ocean protection effective by holding States and corporations accountable for their marine protection obligations. She works collaboratively with communities, scientists, and international coalitions to build enforceable legal pathways for Ocean protection.
Anna’s current work includes groundbreaking litigation against bottom trawling and deep-sea mining, as well as legal actions addressing the violation of the Human Right to a healthy environment by whaling or Ocean pollution. With 80+ corporate liability cases handled, 65+ court appearances, and 20+ successful mediations, Anna brings courtroom experience to international environmental law. Her legal practice spans the Law of the Sea, EU environmental law, and German national law, uniquely bridging litigation across multiple jurisdictions.
Anna’s PhD, The Designation of Marine Protected Areas: A Legal Obligation (Springer Nature, 2023), is considered a leading piece of legal scholarship underpinning many of today’s Ocean lawsuits. Establishing that the obligation to protect and preserve the marine environment is legally binding—and that the designation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is not a policy choice but a legal duty under international law– her work laid the foundation for using litigation to enforce this duty in national and international courts and continues to inform the legal architecture needed to achieve global targets such as 30x30.
Memberships & other Roles
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Admitted to the Bar in Germany
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Ambassador for the German Committee of the UN Ocean Decade
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Member of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL) and World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA)
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Mentor for Young Ocean Advocates for European Commission Youth4Ocean Forum
Qualifications
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Doctor juris (Dr. iur.), with specialisation in Marine Protected Areas (2023)
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Diploma in Neurolinguistic Programming (International NLP Trainers Association (2019)
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Master of Law (LL.M.) in conflict resolution (2017)
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Second Legal State Examination (Higher Regional Court, Munich, licensed as judge, barrister, prosecutor,(2017)
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Training as Business Mediator (Munich Centre for Dispute Resolution (2015)
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First Legal State Examination (Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, 2014)
Examples of Legal Work
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Law suit against the Government of Germany for allowing Bottom trailing in European MPAs (Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz, Seas at Risk)
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Statement to the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights on the Discharge of nuclear wastewater from Fukushima into the Ocean by Japan – Special Procedure Communications and Official Statement (Pacific Network on Globalisation)
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Unlawfulness of Bottom Trawling in the German Territorial Sea (Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V., 2023)
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Unlawfulness of Bottom Trawling in European MPAs in the German EEZ (Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz, 2022), english translation available
Publications
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von Rebay/Oberle, Booming Advisory Jurisdiction of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, Heidelberg Journal of International Law (ZaöRV) 83 (2023), 283-306;
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von Rebay, Anna, The Designation of Marine Protected Areas: A Legal Obligation (Springer Nature, 2023);
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von Rebay, Anna et. al, Durch Rechte der Natur zu einem ethischen Wertewandel, Politikum 4/2023.
Speeches and pesentations at international events
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“Achieving 30 by 30: Legal Obligations and the Role of Best Scientific Evidence Available”, Pending Presentation at One Ocean Science Congress (France 2025)
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"Measures such as Area Based management Tools under the BBNJ Agreement”, Expert discussion at 8th Law of the Sea Conference of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (South Korea, 2023
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“A wave of Ocean Litigation”, Presentation at Our Ocean Conference (Greece, 2023)
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“Protecting Blue Carbon Ecosystems: Law, Liability & Innovation”, Presentation at Bali Ocean Days (Indonesia, 2025)
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“Obligations of States to Prevent, Reduce and Control Plastic Pollution in the Ocean”, Presentation at INC5 (South Korea, 2024)
Media
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The Layer of the Ocean (Die Anwältin der Ozeane: Eine deutsche Juristin kämpft für das Leben im Meer), GEO Porträt (2025)
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‘All threats to the sea come from humans’: how lawyers are gearing up to fight for the oceans, The Guardian (2024)
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New German Action Begins Over Lack of Marine Ecosystem Protection, The Fishing Daily (2024)
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Lawyer of the Ocean (Anwältin der Meere), Süddeutsche Zeitung (2023)
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Ocean litigation and risks for investors to rise in the next decade, Ocean Vision Legal, invest ESG (2024)
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Attorney of the Seas – Alumna Dr. Anna von Rebay is committed to marine environmental protection with her law firm Ocean Vision Legal, Portal Transfer, University of Potsdam press release (2024)
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“My entire life revolves around the Ocean”: How a bavarian layer saves the Ocean ("Mein ganzes Leben kreist um das Meer": Wie eine bayerische Rechtsanwältin die Ozeane rettet), Abendzeitung (2024)
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Bavarian fights for the Ocean: the voice of the Ocean in court (Weßlingerin kämpft für Ozean: die Stimme des Meeres vor Gericht), Münchner Merkur (2024)
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“As long as States don’t enforce Ocean protection treaties, they remain elusive!” (Wenn Staaten Meeresschutzverträge nicht durchsetzen, sind diese wirkungslos!“, Portrait of Dr. Anna von Rebay, breaking through (2023)
Podcasts
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Exploring Ocean Litigation and Rights with Dr. Anna von Rebay, The Healthy Seas Podcast, Eps. 18
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Live Q&A with Dr. Anna von Rebay from Ocean Vision Legal, The Healthy Seas
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The Wave of Ocean Litigation, Dr. Anna von Rebay, Listen Up
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Braucht das Meer eigene Rechte?, Dr. Anna von Rebay, Talent Rocket
Personal
Spending her time in Indonesia, Australia and Germany, Anna volunteers with marine protection organisations. She loves surfing, snorkeling, swimming, and spending time in Nature.
