The Legal 500 Green Guide: United Kingdom 2024

Global co-head of energy David Lee provided legal counsel to Carlyle Group and GIC on their more than $3bn investment in green ammonia/hydrogen developer Eneus Energy to support the development of a 14GW + pipeline of projects in the UK and US.

Internally, the firm’s global environmental strategy targets climate change, biodiversity degradation, water scarcity, and natural resource depletion, and its SBTi-certified decarbonisation strategy focuses on reducing scopes 1, 2 and 3 by 50% by 2030.

The firm also distributes a monthly sustainable transition seminar series amongst a plethora of ESG and net-zero focused thought leadership.

Energy co-head Richard Goodfellow and construction partner David Shaw are currently assisting Scotia Gas Networks on various aspects of its world first green hydrogen to homes project ‘H100 Fife’, which aims to deliver carbon free heating and cooking to a test town via green hydrogen produced through electrolysis powered by offshore wind. A trailblazer in this field, the firm produced a hydrogen report in collaboration with Equitix to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of the hydrogen economy.

The team is also engaged with the development of battery energy storage systems and is currently advising Alcemi Storage Developments UK Limited on eight of Europe’s largest systems, ranging from 500MW to 1GW.  Planning and infrastructure partner Sarah Baillie is leading negotiations from various leasing and consenting perspectives in Glasgow.

The Leed’s based practice is supporting leading UK EV charging company Pod Point on various points to facilitate the roll out of charging infrastructure across the country. Paul Dight has been pivotal to this work.

Internally, the environmental steering group and the green team regularly meet to generate new ideas to reduce carbon impact. The firm is on track for achieving carbon neutral accreditation by 2024 having reached an 80% reduction in CO2 in last five years. It is also on target for net zero accreditation in Scopes 1+2, also by 2024. As a founding member of the Greener Litigation Pledge the firm is committed to reducing the environmental impact of disputes work and regularly engages with courts to support changes to rules and procedures to facilitate this.

Renewable and thermal power specialist Antony Skinner led advice to Low Carbon, an innovative finance facility with Natwest, Lloyd Bank, and Allied Irish Banks. The debt facility will enable the construction of large scale renewable energy projects in the UK and Netherlands with an aniticpated capacity of at least 1GW.

In the EV space, the real estate team plays a critical role in supporting Tritax Management Limited/Abrdn on the funding and construction delivery of Britishvolt’s ‘game changer’ gigaplant car battery factory. Estimations suggest that by the end of the decade the factory will be able to produce battery cells for more than 300,000 EV battery packs per year.

Since her appointment in 2019, global ESG partner Anna-Marie Slot has spearheaded the firm’s ESG strategy through client engagement and internal initiatives. The firm works closely with Climate Impact Partners to offset carbon emissions, and has set a Net Zero ambition by 2050. It also participates in the Carbon Disclosure Project and EcoVadis assessments annually.

The corporate and commercial practice regularly engages with purposeful business clients. For charity CDP Worldwide, which helps companies disclose their environmental impact, the team provided ongoing commercial law support and advice on the Science Based Targets initiative.

The real estate practice seeks to apply impactful principles at every stage of the property life cycle. Recent work includes support to the Woodland Trust in developing documents to facilitate increased tree planting, woodland management and carbon sequestration ahead of the Environment Act 2021’s proposed “Conservation Covenants”.

The firm is also a member of the Legal Sustainability Alliance and founding member of the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance.

Real estate lawyer and renewable energy specialist Harriet Murray Jones joined the firm in October 2022, bringing long term client Boom Power. Murray Jones and the team now act for the client on the property aspects of its proposed East Yorkshire 400 MW solar farm, classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project.

Internally, the firm is certified carbon neutral against industry best practice PAS 2060 standard and uses carbon footprint offsetting via UN accredited Gold Standard schemes voted for by 35 green ambassadors across the business. It has also achieved ISO 14001 certification, and its lawyers regularly contribute to seminars and conferences on ESG-related topics.

Recently, the firm established an ESG Leadership and Global Practice Team to internally manage and drive the development of its ESG efforts. In April 2023, the firm installed its own worm digester, which can process almost all of its food waste in an environmentally friendly way. It also achieved a recycling rate of 95% for 2022, and its UK scope 1 emissions have reduced by over 50% in 2022 compared with 2021.

Externally, the firm has shown efforts to spread awareness around sustainability issues. In 2023, the firm hosted an event which, among other sustainability topics, discussed eco-friendly arbitration. In the same year, Thomson discussed environmental disclosure and greenwashing risks at the Net Zero Investor conference.

Fairley is also part of the team, led by infrastructure partner Julian Boswell, advising Progressive Energy and ENI on The Hynet Project. This will be the UK’s first large-scale low-carbon project and is expected to provide energy amounting to the entire North West region’s domestic natural gas demand.  

Other clean energy clients include Bluefield Solar Income Fund, Blue Gem Wind, and Protium Green Solutions.

Outside of energy transition work, the environment team led by Michael Barlow has assisted Severn Trent Water from a regulatory and real estate perspective regarding sustainable urban drainage solutions. 

Internally, the firm has measured, managed, and reported on its emissions since 2008, overseen by the environment committee. Its SBTi-approved targets include a 50% reduction in scope 1, 2 and relevant scope 3 emissions by 2030. The team also contributes to important collaborations as founding members of the Legal Sustainability Alliance and the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance as well as being active participants in The Chancery Lane Project and a signatory of the UN Global Compact.  

Sustainability and competition specialist Maurits Dolmans frequently speaks at prominent international conferences; at COP27 he covered the intersection of law and science in addressing the climate crisis. Dolman and his team often engage with policymakers including the European Commission, the UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and policy makers in Asia, such as in the context of the review of the Renewable Energy Directive and the integration of sustainability in antitrust law, among other topics.

The firm works with Good Company/Parametrix to measure its emissions which will be submitted to CDP and offset via Climate Vault. It also collaborates with EcoVadis to manage sustainability throughout its supply chain. Further demonstrating its thought leadership, the firm disseminates a weekly newsletter concerning climate and the financial sector in addition to a plethora of sustainability-linked publications.

The team is also assisting the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and its ten authorities with the development of a multi-project framework agreement to secure private sector development of low or zero carbon emissions energy generation and storage projects.

Other ongoing matters include acting for Hygen Energy in the development of a green hydrogen production facility with a capacity of 13,000kg a day, and advising Northumberland Estates in connection with the development of over 1GW of solar PV and battery energy storage systems on 2,000 acres of its estate.

Internally, the firm has set Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) verified targets to reduce its scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions by 50% by 2030. Currently, its Edinburgh office uses 100% renewable energy.

In April 2023, the firm became an inaugural signatory to the Legal Charter 1.5, which aims to support law firms with their transition to net zero. It is also a member to the Legal Sustainability Alliance and Net Zero Lawyers Alliance.

London-based key individual Abi Duff-Walker was recently appointed as the firm’s head of sustainability.

The team is also assisting Celtic Sea Power with a multi-million pound strategic offshore wind power project: the Cornwall Floating Offshore Wind Accelerator.

Internally, the firm has shown its commitment to sustainability with various initiatives, such as purchasing 100% of its energy from renewable sources. The team has also demonstrated its expertise through thought leadership, having published a number of articles on topics including the growing hydrogen sector and the voluntary carbon markets.

Additionally, the firm has taken part in volunteering activities over the past 12 months, such as beach cleans along the south coast, litter picking, and partnering up with Empire Fighting Change to donate several laptops in an effort to recycle used technology projects and save them from landfill.

The firm is a member of the recently formed Celtic Sea Cluster (which aims to drive the development of offshore wind in the Celtic Sea), as well as the Chancery Lane Project and RenewableUK (the trade body for the renewables industry).

All mentioned individuals are based in Bristol.

A recent success was also Sheffield-based Simpson’s representation of The Portland Association, which had been leading an active campaign to object to a planning proposal by Powerfuel for a new waste incinerator at Portland Bill in Dorset, on delivering clear objections based on waste issues and natural environment issues to prevent the grant of permission for the proposed incinerator.

Actively engaged in client outreach and thought leadership, initiatives include the firm’s clean energy, waste and sustainability team running a series of green breakfast webinars on topics including bioenergy, sustainability, and hydrogen.

The firm is also a signatory to the Greener Litigation pledge and a member of the Legal Sustainability Alliance, the Chancery Lane Project, and the United Kingdom Environmental Law Association (UKELA). Notably, key contact King assisted the Chancery Lane Project in drafting new contractual clauses aiming to turn sustainability aspirations into contractual commitments. Liverpool-based Helen Mitcheson in the firm’s environmental law team is a UKELA trustee.

On the pro bono side, Rumford advises the Low Carbon Gordano Board, an organisation that strives to help local communities become more sustainable by reducing their carbon footprint. The firm’s work includes providing advice on rooftop solar opportunities with local schools to encourage more renewable energy generation and community engagement in the green transition.

In 2022, the firm established a Carbon Reduction Committee which aims to identify opportunities for the firm to reduce its carbon footprint, such as introducing a cycle to work scheme.

Plymouth-based key contact Jonathan Hall is a board member of the Dartmoor Wood Fuel Co-Operative, an organisation that aspires to promote biomass and its environmental benefit, reduce carbon emissions by using sustainably managed woodlands, and develop public awareness around renewable energy.

A London-based team led by energy co-head and green hydrogen specialist Gareth Baker acted for HydrogenOne Capital Growth Plc on a €6m investment in HH2E to fund the development of new green hydrogen projects in Germany. Baker worked alongside project and infrastructure lead Nath Curtis.

Also of significance is Curtis’ advice to Zenobe regarding its £235m financing by five commercial banks to construct two greenfield battery storage projects in Scotland. This will see up to 600MW of storage capacity added to the UK transmission network.

Birmingham-based Fiona Nicholls oversees internal ESG Strategy, which includes the firm’s commitment to the United Nations Global Compact, sustainability reporting, five adopted international standards and annual independent ESG audit by EcoVadis. The firm is also a member of The Chancery Lane Project and a founder signatory to the 1.5 Charter to catalyse carbon leadership across the legal sector.

In another high-profile case, human rights and environmental experts Sarah Moore and Wessen Jazrawi are representing The Environmental Law Foundation (ELF) in its intervention in the Supreme Court hearing Manchester Ship Canal Company Limited (MSCCL) vs United Utilities (UU). The client supports MSSCL in resisting UU’s attempt to protect water companies from common law challenges. If the Supreme Court decides in favour of MSCCL, water companies will hold increased accountability for sewage discharge in rivers across the UK.

Disputes expert Simon Bishop is also engaged with ground-breaking legal action exposing greenwashing issues in the banking sector.

The firm’s climate impact hub, which launched in 2021, drives conversations around the role of law in the climate crisis. The team regularly publishes and contributes to articles, blogs, and vlogs on the platform to keep users up to date on the most relevant developments in this space.

From a green funds perspective, corporate partner and ESG specialist Rebecca Perlman and regional head of projects Martin Kavanagh advised multiple clients on their investments into innovative renewable energy projects. This includes ongoing support to the IBRD and ADB for a portfolio of renewable energy projects in Uzbekistan with a total estimated capacity of approximately 1.5 GW, which will be key to Uzbekistan achieving its national goal of developing 7GW solar and 5GW wind capacity by 2030.  

Other key clients include Transmission Capital Partners Limited Partnership (TCP) and CDP Worldwide. 

The firm’s COP27 Hub helps clients to track key developments and provides regional overviews and deep dives to help users stay on top of this fast-paced area. To address its own impact, the firm developed and implemented global responsible procurement and environmental policies as well as a global sustainability strategy to contribute towards its near-term goal of reducing emissions by 50% by 2030. It is also the only law firm to be a Global Alliance Member of The Earthshot Prize to assist businesses scaling eco-solutions that repair and regenerate the planet, through which it has so far dedicated 219 hours of pro bono support.

The ESG team acts for a number of clients with an environmental or biodiversity focus. This includes work with Bright Tide on Ocean Accelerator Workshops and the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts regarding their agreement with Aviva facilitating a £38m donation from Aviva Group as part of their commitment to restore temperate rainforests in Britain.

The firm is a founding member of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) which is driving the focus on biodiversity in the ESG market, and has produced a teaching resource on rewilding with the Economist Foundation. It is also a signatory to UN Business Ambition for 1.5°C and Race to Zero. 

In April 2023, Marion Palmer was appointed as head of global sustainability to oversee the firm’s internal sustainability strategy. This includes current work towards defining its supplier engagement programme for Scope 3 emissions.  The firm is also working in partnership on the construction of a new, net zero carbon London office designed to achieve BREEAM Outstanding and WELL Platinum standards.

A sustainable investment funds team led by expert Marc Proudfoot is acting as legal advisor on the launch of Blackfinch Renewable European Income Trust plc. (BRET). BRET aims to invest in a portfolio of mixed renewable energy infrastructure assets and is seeking to raise £300m. Another key green finance client is Octopus Investments with the launch of its new Venture Capital Trust “Octopus Future Generations” seeking to back UK-based early-stage companies solving society’s biggest challenges.

The firm has established a carbon emissions baseline from which to kickstart its net-zero journey and currently uses 100% certified Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin electricity in the office. Memberships include the Legal Sustainability Alliance, the UK Green Building Council and London Bridge City Sustainability Network.

The firm’s cleantech knowledge hub provides useful insights into developments in the field. The firm is also an associate founder member of Cambridge Cleantech which connects investors, corporates and academics to facilitate innovative, sustainable solutions for a low carbon future. Committed to internal best practices, the Green Team meets regularly to develop and promote environmental policies.

In another impactful ongoing matter, Jamie Beagent, who specialises in planning and environmental cases, is assisting Friends of the Earth with its challenge against the decision of the Secretary of State for International Trade to provide a loan guarantee of $850m and a direct loan of $300m to a subsidiary of Total for investment in a liquified natural gas project off the coast of Mozambique. The claimants argue that the provision of the finance was not in alignment with the UK Government’s international law obligations under the Paris Agreement. The firm and client are currently waiting for permission to appeal to the Supreme Court.

The firm is also representing over 11,000 claimants from The Ogale community and over 2,300 fisherman from the Bille Community against Shell and the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria. Both claimants argue that the pollution caused from Shell’s oil spills and its effects constitute a breach of their constitutional rights. As well as claiming financial compensation, the communities are also seeking injunctive relief to compel the defendants to carry out clean up and remediation.

All individuals mentioned are based in London.

Nikola Zahariev has been acting for key client Alpha Real Capital on various renewables transactions, including one of its largest acquisitions to date, a wind portfolio sold by Capital Dynamics.

Sandy Abrahams is assisting The Silvertown Partnership, a regeneration project for 6,500 new homes with an innovative energy solution seeing heat from the adjacent Tate & Lyle sugar refinery being used to deliver net-zero carbon heating and cooling.

David Short is advising Wendling Beck Environment Project on the structuring and contracts for a 2,000 acre nature restoration and biodiversity enhancement project in Norfolk funded through the sale of environmental credits and ecosystem services.

Another client is green hydrogen developer Meld Energy regarding an investment by World Kinect Sustainability Ventures.

The team is not only highly active in various industry roles and thought leadership, but is also engaged in other businesses such as energy efficiency consultancy, energy policy work, and business start-up and strategy consultancy.

Further demonstrating its dedication to advancing the green transition, the firm has committed to at least 1% of its turnover to be donated to green charities and campaigns.

With no office, the firm has no direct emissions, and operations are entirely paperless.

For Columbia Threadneedle Investments the firm managed all aspects of the RSA mandate and circa £400m property portfolio, including the redevelopment of Royal Bank of Scotland’s’ former headquarters which will create a new £70m end investment multi-let office product rated BREEAM Excellent. The refurbishment will provide bike and scooter charging and increased energy efficiency across the building.

The team also acted on a major project for City of London Corporation for the development of new offices for Clifford Chance LLP with first-class sustainability characteristics.

As a signatory of the British Property Federation Net Zero Pledge and the Greener Litigation Pledge, the firm has committed to taking active steps in reducing its environmental and climate impact. It is also a member of the Energy & Environment Alliance (EEA), a not-for-profit coalition of hospitality sector leaders working with renowned experts to tackle the challenge of climate change

The firm holds carbon neutral status having offset its carbon use for 2022, and holds a silver EcoVadis rating, the only European IP firm with a UK presence to have achieved this. It has also committed to reducing its carbon footprint by 42% by 2030. For every new mandate the firm plants a new tree, which has accumulated to over 30,000 trees. Furthermore, at the end of 2022, the firm published its first Sustainable Communities Special Report outlining its commitments and disclosing its carbon footprint.

In a multi-jurisdictional matter, the firm has been advising the UNHCR on the decarbonisation of its power supply to its deep field compounds in Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia as part of its Green Financing Facility.

The firm is at the forefront of sustainability-related thought leadership, which includes its ESG and Sustainability Insights newsletter, and The Language of Green Demystified series, where the team explains commonly used acronyms in the sustainability space. The firm also has an Energy Transition YouTube channel, as well as an Energy Transition Newsletter, and an Energy Transition Hub. Additionally, it has taken part in a number of relevant events, such as participating in the Financial Times 3rd Moral Summit Europe in 2023, which centred around the theme of unlocking opportunities for a greener and fairer world. The firm also attended COP27.

London-based Caroline May is chair of the Law Society Climate Change Working Group and co-chair of the Legal Sustainability Alliance.

For its internal sustainability performance, the firm was recently awarded the Ecovadis gold certification standard.

Through its ESG Risk Assessment Roadmap, the firm also helps clients navigate relevant business areas for effective ESG strategy development.

As part of its dedication to sustainability, the firm engages in various environmental initiatives, supporting several local charities committed to wildlife protection such as the Avon Wildlife Trust.

In June 2022, it announced its commitment to Science Based Targets, aiming for a 50% reduction in emissions across all scopes by 2030, with a subsequent commitment to the SBTi Net Zero standard for achieving net-zero emissions by 2040.

In September 2022, it also signed the Greener Litigation Pledge, vowing to diminish the environmental impact of its regulatory practice. Additionally, its employee environment forum continues to regularly organise sustainability events, such as a keynote event on World Environment Day featuring environmental expert Roger Harrabin.

Green financial litigation expert Fiona Huntriss and environmental lead Rekha Rogers are representing global eco-advocacy organisation Mighty Earth on a pro bono basis, providing advice on various strategic litigation opportunities to further its goal of reducing deforestation and climate pollution and improving the livelihood of indigenous and local communities worldwide.  

The team also focuses its efforts on corporate responsibility in the energy and natural resources area through providing advice to institutional investors in Glencore regarding alleged corruption in parts of its African operations. 

The firm regularly contributes to pressing discussions in the green space, such as Huntriss speaking to the BBC about greenwashing in 2022. The firm’s ethos is to provide top quality advice to clients whilst making positive contributions towards society and the environment. It has committed to the Greener Litigation Pledge and the Campaign for Greener Arbitration, and it was the first UK law firm to partner with TIME CO2, a new sustainability division of TIME focused on helping businesses to achieve net zero. Physically, the office is situated in a BREAAM excellent certified building.

The firm is aligned with the Law Society’s Climate Change Resolution and is a signatory of the Greener Arbitration Pledge. It also contributes to the committee consulting on IUCN-WCEL guidance for responsible natural resources supply chains. Pro bono work is prioritised as part of its strategy, with the team regularly partnering with NGOs on a range of projects.

In the renewables space, planning and environment experts Gareth Phillips and Gary McGovern (based in London and Edinburgh respectively) are advising Orsted Wind Power on the consenting authorisation, environmental and property issues associated with the 2.6GW Hornsea Project Four Offshore Wind Farm. The project has a predicted capacity of 2.6 GW.

The investment funds team, headed up by Edinburgh-based alternative funds specialist David Young, assisted Unilever on its €100m investment and role in establishing the €1bn Regenerative Agriculture Fund which falls under Article 9 of SFDR. 

The firm has committed to reaching net zero by 2040, and its targets have been verified by the Science Based Targets initiative. To keep on track, it established the ESG Committee of the Board in early 2023 to streamline ESG commitments and objectives and ensure the correct governance is in place to achieve them.

Key memberships include the Sustainable Markets Initiative Legal Sector Taskforce and CDP. It is also a dialogue partner of Legal Charter 1.5, developed by a group of large law firms to shift thinking and drive change in the legal industry to tackle the climate crisis.

Internally, the firm has a multidisciplinary environmental and sustainability team (the ‘Green Team’), which coordinates environmental activities and engagement projects across the firm. In order to align its business with the 17 UN SDGS, the firm has, among other initiatives, implemented a salary sacrifice scheme for the purchase of electric and hybrid model vehicles, installed solar panels, and sources 100% renewable energy for its Spalding site. Notably, the firm achieved a total of 26% reduction of its carbon emissions over the last year.

Externally, the firm aims to work with green suppliers, and supports local environmental events, such as the recently held Food Business Breakfast, where supply chain sustainability was discussed.

The firm has committed to reaching net zero by 2025 and has partnered with Planet Mark as part of the process to measure its footprint. The sustainability taskforce oversees the carbon reduction plan which is published on its website.

The planning and environment team are providing counsel to H N Butler Farms Limited regarding the creation of a new wetland habitat at Meon Springs in the South Downs National Park. The wetland will provide nitrate mitigation for residential development in the Solent region in accordance with the Habitat Regulations and is the first privately operated scheme of its kind in the country.  

Another key client is AP Ventures Fund II which is investing into leading electric and fuel cell vehicle systems company Hypermotive.

The firm set a target to reach net zero with regard to its operational emissions by 2025 and has SBTi-validated targets to reach net zero for its entire value chain by 2040. The firm is also a signatory to numerous external initiatives demonstrating its commitment to the environment and tackling climate change. These include: the Business Ambition for 1.5°C and Race to Zero; the Legal Sustainability Alliance; the United Nations Global Compact; the Greener Arbitration Pledge; the Sustainable Recruitment Alliance and many more.

In an ongoing matter, the firm is assisting BP with its entry to a joint venture with Iberdola; the JV is set to invest €1 billion in electric charging infrastructure across Spain and Portugal.

The team is also acting for a major fund manager regarding implementation and ongoing compliance with EU and UK sustainability-related regulations.

Internally, the firm set up an environmental sustainability network (the Green Room), which aims to improve the sustainability of the firm’s operations. In June 2023, it announced a new set of science-based targets that aim to reduce its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030.

It has also developed innovative tools that promote sustainability, including its ESG Trackers, which track and monitor relevant ESG legislative and regulatory developments across multiple disciplines and jurisdictions.

The firm’s London office supported the Chancery Lane project in creating a new template clause relating to procurement of renewable energy by landlords and tenants in corporate tenancy agreements. Additionally, the firm’s Simmons GreenTech Fund supports start-ups that are focused on using technology to mitigate the climate and biodiversity emergencies.

Global head of ESG Sonali Siriwardena in London serves as the sole legal representative on the UK FCA’s ESG Advisory Committee and has been recently appointed to the Board of the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association (UKSIF).

The financial services team is supporting various global asset managers on compliance with the EU SFDR and emerging UK SDR and TCFD regimes. The team leads on carbon and environmental issues, including the development of policies and procedures to address these. Key clients include Oaktree, Ares, Brookfield, and Carlyle to name a few.

The firm’s technology group advised US financial services provider Incubex on its strategic collaboration with Trayport to launch a new Voluntary Climate Marketplace and an electronic platform for trading voluntary carbon offsets. The practice also assisted Incubex in its cooperation with EEX and Nodal Exchange to expand the number of listed environmental markets and products on their platforms. 

Voluntary carbon markets expert Jonathan Gilmour is a member of the Legal & Contract Principles Working Group of the Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets and sits on the UK regional board of the Global Alliance of Impact Lawyers (GAIL).

The firm launched its internal ESG and Sustainable Finance Academy led by Carys Clipper and Simon Witney to ensure all lawyers are equipped with the knowledge and skills to embed sustainability in their practice. It also is a member of The Chancery Lane Project and has made various contributions to its net zero playbook of template clauses. 

Heather Gagen heads the firm’s ESG and Impact Group.

All mentioned individuals are based in London.

The Exeter-based real estate practice is supporting BioGains Ltd as early entrant into the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) Credit Market, developing a suite of documents for the company. The emerging market requires developers to offset their environmental impact by delivering BNG to increase biodiversity of brown and greenfield sites by no less than 10%.

In 2022, the firm launched its first responsible business report (‘An Agenda for Change’) outlining the actions it will take in the coming years, focusing on business, people, community, environment, and governance and accountability. Key to this is its net zero commitment by which it has pledged to achieve a 90% reduction in baseline emissions by 2050 and, as interim target, a 50% reduction by 2030.

The firm is a member of The Chancery Lane Project and The Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, and has worked with the LMA on the Sustainability Linked Loan Principles for Real Estate Finance, further demonstrating its commitment in this space.

In the renewables space, global energy sector co-head and head of London projects Henry Stewart leads the team acting for Sonnedix on the financing of a set of sustainability-linked corporate loan facilities to expand its global renewable energy platform. Stewart also assisted Lloyd’s bank, NatWest and Allied Irish Bank as lenders on an innovative £230m finance facility to Low Carbon to generate 1GW of solar PV capacity.

Other key contacts include planning partner Nick Walker and senior associate Valentina Keys.

A pro bono client is Common Seas; the firm is helping the NGO to advance its mission to tackle plastic pollution. It has also assisted the Legal Innovation for Sustainable Investments Foundation with integrating sustainability and ESG topics into investment documentation.

In 2022, the firm received an Silver Ecovadis Medal for sustainable practice, and its London office is powered entirely by renewable energy. In January 2023, it also became a signatory of the Campaign for Greener Arbitrations’ Green Pledge.

In the renewable energy space, Leeds-based head of planning and infrastructure Lee Gordon and Colvin are advising Liverpool City Region Combined Authority on the multi-billion Mersey Tidal Energy project, which has the potential to power circa 300,000 homes with clean energy. The firm is also acting for Octopus Real Estate on their partnership with Homes England, the government’s housing delivery agency, on creating the Greener Homes Alliance, which will have a £175 fund and aims to enable more energy efficient homes throughout the country.

Internally, the firm is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2030, and has a target of transitioning all of its offices to 100% renewable energy-based electricity by 2025. Currently, the firm has achieved ‘zero waste to landfill’ in half of its locations, and has received an Ecovadis Silver Sustainability rating. Additionally, in an active effort to support biodiversity protection, the firm sponsors the Bee Centre, an organisation that helps maintain beehives.

Key contact Srivastava was recently on a panel at the Legal ESG Summit discussing the ‘power of purpose’. Colvin also stands out for his thought leadership, having recently spoken about greenwashing trends in a webinar hosted by IEMA (Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment).

Significantly, head of the firm’s UK energy practice Richard Cockburn in Edinburgh has also led advice to RES on its £3bn joint venture with Octopus Renewables to develop green hydrogen plants across the UK. In May 2023, the firm joined Hydrogen South West which drives the development of hydrogen infrastructure across the region.

In Leeds, the construction group provided legal counsel to Envision AESC regarding the design, construction and completion of the UK’s first at-scale battery manufacturing plant. Once complete, the 119GWh-capacity factory will manufacture batteries for Nissan’s electric vehicles.

The team also works with clients contributing to biodiversity protection; the Edinburgh banking and finance practice supports Triodos on all financing, real estate, and energy issues regarding the rewilding projects on large estates in Scotland. This constitutes one of the first financings of its kind in the UK.

The firm has achieved the EcoVadis Gold medal, placing it in the top 5% of reporting companies globally. As part of the goal to achieve net zero by 2030, it also measures scope 3 emissions and plans to enhance its procurement strategy to improve on this. In early 2023, it became the first law firm to join The Solent Cluster, the first major decarbonisation initiative to substantially reduce CO2 emissions across the Solent and Southern England.