The Legal 500 Green Guide:

A key client is the Xlinks power project, which will pair a 10.5 GW wind and solar installation and 20GWh of battery storage in Morocco with a 3800km HVDC sub-sea cable to the UK to provide stable, clean electricity. The mandate, which leverages the firm’s cross-border projects and environmental expertise, has included guidance on navigating the UK’s renewables regime and the possibilities for carbon market-based finance.

Acting on behalf of climate-vulnerable small island states, the firm helped secure a resolution from the United Nations General Assembly to request an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on states’ obligations under international law to combat climate change. The proceedings are vital in helping inspire action regarding the obligations and legal consequences for intense carbon-emitting states.

A cross-practice group serves as a knowledge partner for the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, assisting in the creation of green marine corridors, the development of emissions certificate systems, and in the implementation of e-fuels. The firm also supports industry decarbonisation through its thought leadership offering, providing expert insights into the net-zero financing gap, the transition of emerging markets, and the most optimal green regulatory frameworks.

Key contacts include environmental expert and co-founder of the firm’s global ESG group Matthew Townsend, and Danae Wheeler, who focuses on climate change, sustainability and supply chain matters.

Private funds practice head Jan Grüter is a leading contact in ESG regulation and sustainability objectives within the investment product space. Key mandates include advising natural capital investment manager New Forests on the launch of its $500m impact investment fund, which pursues sustainable forestry investments in Africa, and assisting Par Equity on fundraising for its long-term natural capital mandate with Aviva investors.

The housing finance team, led by head of ESG Lee Shankland-Gort, acts for major clients including Barclays Bank, NatWest Group, and RBC on sustainable and green finance deals. In a further £455m transaction, the finance team represented the funders and investors in providing sustainability-linked facilities and private placements to Bromford Housing group, which incentivises the adoption of sustainability- and net-zero aligned targets in the housing sector.

As a key objective of its responsible business strategy, the firm achieved net zero across its UK scopes 1 and 2 emissions and is currently setting further science-based carbon reduction targets. To verify its carbon commitments, the firm has a bronze accreditation from EcoVadis and is a signatory to the UN Global Compact. Keen to act positively within the legal community, a team provides pro bono assistance to The Chancery Lane Project to support the development and utilisation of climate clauses.

Exeter-based Brian Farrell, who heads the firm’s energy & resource group, has recently advised Fernbrook Bio on expansion and upgrade works to its Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plant in Kettering. The firm also assisted Ingenious on the sale of its AD portfolio to international investment fund, Ancala; the portfolio generates 300,000MWh per year.

Internally, the firm has reduced its reportable emissions by 42% in the past four financial years. It has also partnered with the Ocean Conservation Trust to improve ocean biodiversity, as well as sponsored the University of Plymouth’s Marine Research Prize which is given to research within the marine sector and of relevance to UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 (life below water).

The firm’s real estate team is currently advising an organisation which manages forests on novel landowner’s agreements in respect of tree planting and woodland maintenance, as well as carbon sequestration, which intends to ensure that the use of land is permanently changed to more sustainable use, benefitting the public.

In a recent matter in the education sector, the firm is assisting Black Mountains College Project, which was founded as a response to the climate and ecological emergencies, with securing investment. The college is entirely devoted to providing education for a career dedicated to tackling the climate crisis.

Internally, the firm launched the Bates Wells Sustainability & Responsibility Pledge in June 2023, which sets its commitment to helping its clients with their ESG journeys.

Key contacts Luke Fletcher and Louise Harman both currently sit on B Lab’s (the organisation responsible for B-Corps) UK’s policy council, shaping policy and considering regulatory issues for B-Corps. David Hunter co-founded the Legal Charter 1.5 and was a founding director at the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance.

Also notable is the firm’s recent switch of its staff pension investments to a more sustainable investment option, making it the default pension fund for employees.

Head of the firm’s energy and resource management practice, Nadeem Arshad, as well as Nathan Bradberry, who specialises in PPP projects, are advising Birmingham City Council on their £500m waste PPP project, which aims to find a long-term solution to the city’s waste strategy and achieve a 70% recycling rate at the city’s household recycling centers. Also in the waste area, the firm is assisting Viridor Energy with its bid for the £2.1bn Tees Valley Waste Management PPP, which involves the development of a 450,000 tonnes per year Energy Recovery Facility, generating up to 49.9MW of electricity.

The firm has sponsored and attended a number of sustainability events, including the Energy from Waste Conference and the Hydrogen Gateway Conference. It also regularly demonstrates its expertise via its thought leadership; in July 2023 it launched its monthly Energy Matters newsletter.

Bradberry leads the firm’s responsible business programme, which includes environmental sustainability as one of its four pillars. The firm is an accredited carbon neutral law firm, and has achieved the UN’s Climate Now accreditation through its investment in two Gold Standard carbon offsetting schemes. It has also been awarded the ISO 14001 certification.

Notable is one of the environment team member’s recently completed secondments as Peat Project Manager for the Broads Peat Discovery Project, which aims to improve carbon storage and develop nature-based solutions for peatland restoration.

The firm re-launched its ESG programme in October 2023, which under its new structure includes an environmental and sustainability subcommittee prioritising climate action, reduction of carbon emissions, and a more sustainable supply chain. The firm published its first ESG report at the end of 2023. It is also a member of the Legal Sustainability Alliance, Cambridge Cleantech, and the Suffolk Preservation Society.

Main contacts in London include head of ESG and sustainability Marieke Schrauwers, and head of clean energy Stuart Cleak. Other key individuals are Ipswich-based head of environment Deborah Sharples; Norwich-based head of natural capital Sophia Key; and Chelmsford-based Grace Kerr, who chairs the firm’s ESG committee and leads its ESG strategy.

An ongoing client in the patent space is European plastic recycling leader Plastic Energy, which has developed a proprietary process to recycle end-of-life plastics into a feedstock which can replace fossil fuels when producing new plastics. The firm’s patent protection assistance supported the client as it scaled-up to develop an advanced plastic recycling plant in the Netherlands in a joint venture with SABIC.

For B-Corp social enterprise Ecologi – which seeks to empower businesses to accelerate climate action through carbon footprint calculation, emissions reductions, and reduction and removal project funding – the firm advised on protecting and enforcing its climate-related trade marks.

Through its responsible business programme, the firm has made a keen commitment to implementing robust environmental and sustainability strategies. Having moved to a BREEAM Excellent office in London to kickstart its emissions abatement activities, it is also minimising its footprint through paper and plastic reduction, sustainable procurement, and through participating in volunteering activities for green projects.

Committed to sharing sustainable best practices within the legal sector and among local businesses, the firm is a member of the Legal Sustainability Alliance and the Business in the Community responsible business network. The firm is also partnered with the One Tribe foundation, through which every invoice includes a donation to conservation partners to fund biodiversity protection, deforestation prevention, and carbon storage through global rainforests.

In a complex infrastructure investment deal, EMEA Energy, Environment & Infrastructure team head Mark Richards acted for investment manager Downing Sustainable Investment on its £51m acquisition, on behalf of a UK charity, of the land and lease income related to a 200 MW operational onshore wind farm in Scotland. Within the transaction, which provides the charity reliable cashflows linked to renewable energy assets, the firm assisted the investment vehicle on the corporate sale documentation and acquisition financing.

On a pro bono basis, the firm advised on the structuring and establishment of the Wendling Beck Environment Project, an innovative habitat creation, nature restoration, and regenerative farming scheme. By financing habitat creation and maintenance through the sale of ecosystem services, notably as a pilot for biodiversity net gain units, the project provides a pioneering approach to conservation and land management.

Through its internal ESG Action Board, the firm is working to set science-based targets which guide its ongoing scopes 1 and 2 emissions reductions. Keen to share its green expertise within industry groups, it is a member of ICMA’s Sustainable Finance Group and regularly holds speaking events on topics including green loans and transition infrastructure.

The firm is also currently supporting Progressive Energy on a new carbon dioxide capture project linked to hydrogen production as part of HyNet (a leading blue hydrogen project in the North West). The project is scheduled to open in 2025, and by 2030 it is expected to provide energy equivalent to the North West region’s entire domestic natural gas demand.

Bristol City Council sought the firm’s advice on its first of a kind ‘City Leap’ initiative, which aims to deliver up to £1bn of investment in low carbon energy infrastructure in Bristol and support the city’s aim of becoming a carbon neutral city by 2030.

Key individual Michael Barlow heads the firm’s environment and ESG teams; Ross Fairley is leads the renewable energy practice and chairs the firm’s net zero’s services; Charles Robson heads the clean heat team; and Emma Andrews is a director in the energy regulatory team with a focus on renewable matters. Another key contact is Julian Boswall, who sits on the board of the National Infrastructure Planning Association and is a member (and former chair) of the Renewable UK Offshore Consents and Licensing Group.

In 2023, the firm launched its innovative ESG guide for pension scheme trustees and employers who are increasingly required to consider ESG factors. It also launched a Corporate ESG Disclosure Tool to help companies understand their mandatory disclosure and reporting obligations.

From London, global co-head of ESG Laura Houët acts as sole sustainability counsel for Manulife Investment Management regarding its US and European fund ranges. In the private markets space, the team assisted the client in implementing sustainability strategies and Taxonomy requirements across the fund range, and advised an article 9 forestry carbon fund regarding its EU sustainable finance compliance. Within the public markets segment, the team is advising the EU fund range on sustainability strategies and regulatory disclosures.

In Glasgow, the clean energy team represents leading electricity transmission companies on the Eastern Green Link (EGL) projects, which are upgrading the power network between England and Scotland to improve energy supply resilience and help deliver green energy across the UK. Across the £3.4bn projects, the firm assisted on HVDC cable and converter station procurement for EGL 1 and 2, and is advising on land and consenting processes for EGL 3 and 4.

Two other London-based key contacts are head of the energy & climate change practice Munir Hassan, and specialist environment, sustainability and product practitioner Olivia Jamison, who is a member of the firm’s global ESG steering committee and the UK’s sustainability committee.

Passionate about sharing green best practice within the legal community, the firm provides thought leadership via its ESG hub, serves as a member of the Legal Sustainability Alliance, and writes climate clauses for The Chancery Lane Project. Committed to transparent sustainability action, it is also a signatory to the UN Global Compact, discloses via EcoVadis, and is currently setting a verified science-based net zero standard.

In the wind power sector, the M&A team advised the founders of NeXtWind in its sale to a private investment firm and their reinvestment into the structure. Through the transactions, the client strengthened its balance sheet in order to further acquire and repower German wind farms, ensuring that ageing wind assets can remain in service and continue to support European net-zero goals.

A key client is Goldman Sachs, whom the firm represented as a shareholder of clean energy producer ReNew Power in the $268m sale of shares to Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board. The cross-border deal supports ReNew in expanding its renewable production and decarbonisation solutions portfolio within India.

Following a rise in green guidance launched by competition authorities, sustainability competition expert Maurits Dolmans advised a series of Net Zero Lawyers Alliance pro bono clients on a range of sustainability-related antitrust matters pertaining to initiatives including UN Race to Zero, UN Climate Champions, and the Science-Based Targets initiative. The advocacy supports competitor cooperation in helping address shared global climate and biodiversity risks.

Helping share its knowledge and best practice throughout the legal sector, the firm is a member of the Law Firm Sustainability Network, the Legal Sustainability Alliance, and Net Zero Lawyers Alliance. Supporting transparent green dialogue, it discloses its internal sustainability credentials annually to CDP and EcoVadis.

Demonstrating its expertise at the cutting edge of environmental law, the team advised the Minderoo Foundation on legal liability frameworks regarding plastic pollution and the potential implications of these for the insurance sector. The research supported the think tank in exploring how legal liability interacts with human and environmental harms amid the rise in greenwashing and securities litigation risk.

In an ongoing pro bono mandate, the firm collaborates with Legal Response International, a non-profit NGO which provides free legal advice to climate-vulnerable counties in climate negotiations and policymaking. Through this partnership, the firm assisted across the COP summits on topics including Article 6 and climate finance, and advised on climate-related insurance products for smallholder farmers in Sri Lanka.

Keen to promote transparent green best practices, the firm discloses its sustainability performance to EcoVadis, CDP, and the UN Global Compact, and has a verified science-based target to reduce scopes 1 and 2 emissions by 80% and scope 3 emissions by 50% by 2030. Key pillars of the firm’s green ambition include its sustainable procurement and travel policies, “Zero as one” campaign to empower colleagues within its sustainability journey, and pioneering internal sustainability-linked credit facility with Barclays.

In a major renewable energy transaction, a cross-office team assisted power investor Energy Infrastructure Partners on the sale of a minority stake in the 474 MW Nysäter windfarm cluster to AG Insurance. Through the deal, the client gained additional finance for the operation of the Hästkullen and Björnlandhöjden wind farms in order to deliver clean electricity to Swedish homes.

In an ongoing matter led in London by emissions reductions expert Andreas Gunst, the firm is assisting I-TRACK in the creation and development of sustainability attribute tracking schemes. The mandate supports the client in launching the I-REC renewable energy certificate standard and registry, Fly-I sustainable aviation certificate scheme, and C-Capsule carbon retention scheme.

For pro bono client the Commonwealth Secretariat, the firm was instructed to prepare a model bill to help countries in implementing a carbon tax, with the bill utilising the polluter-pays principle to promote emissions reductions among energy companies and industrial emitters. The global firm is also active at the COP climate summits, negotiating on behalf of Georgia and Mauritius to represent and promote their sustainability agendas.

In another cross-border mandate, the corporate practice advised the joint lead managers on the Emirate of Sharjah’s $750m sustainable bonds issuance. The bond’s proceeds will be allocated to finance the government’s green and sustainable projects, supporting the transition and development of the local economy.

Within its comprehensive global thought leadership offering, the firm provides sustainability briefings on topics including greenwashing guidance, green bonds standards, and sustainability disclosures.

Equally committed to mitigating its own carbon footprint, the firm is focused on energy conservation, waste and pollution prevention, and the reduction of its supply chain impacts. Helping pursue this aim, the firm received the ISO140001 and ISO50001 accreditations for its environmental and energy management systems.

Within a cross-border mandate which supports conservation aims while developing innovative precedent in the sustainable finance space, the environment team acted for the Government of Ecuador regarding its $656m debt-for-nature swap, whereby blue bonds were issued to fund conservation activities within the purpose-created Hermandad marine reserve. The team assisted the government in negotiating the requirements, contractual terms, and liability exposures within the financed conservation activities.

A cross-border team is also advising renewable energy developer and operator Masdar on the development of a 760 MW solar portfolio and 240 MW onshore wind project in Azerbaijan. Within the deal, which pursues the national target of generating 30% of its energy through renewables by 2030, the firm assisted on all aspects of the project’s development, including in creating an emerging market IPP structure and negotiating with the Ministry of Energy on the investment agreement.

Through its responsible business team, the firm introduced a robust internal ESG and transition programme, which included setting a science-based target to reach net zero across the UKIME region by 2040. These decarbonisation objectives are aligned with the firm’s global commitment to Business Ambition 1.5 and the UN Race to Zero programme.

London-based international head of energy Stephen Hill is a key contact to leading players in the renewable energy market. In a £700m mandate, the team advised renewables manager Schroders Greencoat on its acquisition of the 513.5 MW Toucan Energy solar portfolio. As a landmark and complex operational solar portfolio transaction, the deal is significant in guaranteeing the operation and financial viability of the projects, enabling the expansion of Britain’s clean energy capacity.

A key client is the Tesco PLC Pension Scheme, whose trustee the pensions team assisted in setting, reviewing, and implementing its investment principles, stewardship activity, and stakeholder communications concerning climate change and biodiversity loss. The mandate makes an important green contribution by ensuring a leading pensions investor adheres to sustainability-related best practice and injects ESG considerations into its activity.

Bolstering its client work, the firm launched a sustainable finance app and ESG regulatory navigator to provide clients focused and up-to-date solutions for their emerging green challenges.

As a member of the UN Global Compact and Business Ambition for 1.5, the firm is committed to transparent sustainability dialogue. As communicated in its responsible business report, the firm has a verified science-based target to reduce its scopes 1-3 emissions by 50% by 2030 and reports the impact of its carbon reduction plan annually to the CDP.

Christian Silk, a member of the firm’s energy & infrastructure sector group, is assisting The Wave, an inland surf destination in the UK aiming to become carbon-neutral and operate off-grid, with its sustainable energy generation projects, which will consist or circa 8,800 solar panels and generate close to 3,000,000 kWh yearly.

Recently, the firm also advised Elmya Energy on its entry into a significant joint venture with Renewable Power Capital, under which they will target a development pipeline of 4GW of large-scale standalone battery storage and co-located battery storage as well as solar PV assets across the UK.

The firm is a member of Renewable UK and of the newly formed Celtic Sea Cluster, which aims to drive the floating wind sector. Additionally, it is a part of the Chancery Lane Project and the Energy Data taskforce.

The team often provides thought leadership on sustainability topics, such as recently releasing a 2024 clean energy preview, as well as an article on the  co-location of battery storage alongside renewable energy generation assets.

Bola Gibson joined the firm as its new executive director of responsible business in early 2024. All above-mentioned individuals are based in Bristol.

In the renewable energy space, the firm advised Centrica Energy Assets on its acquisition of various clean energy projects, which are part of the client’s ambition to deliver 900MW of solar and battery storage in the UK by 2026. In the same sector, the team recently assisted ENGIE UK Markets on its solar and battery energy storage framework agreement with a consortium of companies, which will apply to the consortium’s first UK-based co-located solar/battery energy storage asset, consisting of 55MW solar and 40MW battery. Additionally, the firm is advising Photovolt Development on its proposed Botley West Scheme, which will be one of the largest solar developments ever constructed in Europe, if successful.

Internally, the firm has established an environmental policy and an environmental action plan, each of which is regularly discussed and reviewed by the ESG committee with input from the Green Group. The firm is also ISO14001 accredited.

Externally, the firm regularly hosts webinars on topics including clean energy, waste, and sustainability. It is also a listed collaborator with The Chancery Lane Project and a member of the UK Environmental Law Association (UKELA), to which Helen Mitcheson from the Environmental Law Team is a trustee.

In November 2023, the firm became a corporate partner of Pollenize, an organisation that aims to develop new ways to track and improve biodiversity and protect pollinators in the local environment.

Rumford has, for the past 7 years, been a director of Low Carbon Gordano, a community energy company developing rooftop solar projects and working with multiple parties to encourage a low carbon future.

Energy team co-lead Gareth Baker, a leading expert on renewable energy and green hydrogen investments, led the team in assisting the Gresham House Renewable Energy venture capital trust on its £12.6m sale of a 13 MW portfolio of ground-mounted, commercial, and residential solar sites to Downing Renewables & Infrastructure Trust. The transaction is significant in supporting the operation of a portfolio of 1600 solar installations.

The firm is a key advisor on diverse projects in the green hydrogen sector. Having assisted the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on its aborted project to develop a village-scale trial of hydrogen heating and cooking, the energy team also acted for clean hydrogen-focused investment fund HydrogenOne on its £2.4m investment into a green hydrogen supply project in Thierbach, Germany. The investment supports the construction of an industrial-scale plant which will provide green hydrogen to decarbonise diverse energy-intensive sectors.

Toward its commitment to be net-zero carbon and have zero avoidable waste by 2030, the firm in 2023 became a UN Global Contract signatory and received a bronze medal from EcoVadis for its ESG audit. The firm also became a founding signatory to the Legal Charter 1.5, which seeks to catalyse the sector’s carbon reduction activity through a collaborative and committed approach to climate action.

Alessio Sbraga, who serves as sustainability ambassador within the shipping department, is a notable contact on emissions and sustainability compliance in the marine sector. Heading the firm’s team on shipping association BIMCO’s Carbon Intensity Working Group, Sbraga advised on the development and publishing of ETS-focused contractual clauses to be used by the sector to meet the requirements of emerging emissions regulations.

The firm is a key advisor on solutions which support carbon management within the shipping sector. A cross-practice team is assisting the 123Carbon platform – which allows energy suppliers and transport companies to issue, manage, and sell verified carbon insets – on contracts, IP, and product development. It is also representing emissions tracking platform ESG-NRG on the preparation of standard terms and conditions regarding their EU ETS management platform.

Coordinated by sustainability partner and global senior partner Giles Kavanagh, the firm introduced a sustainability strategy which is focused on delivering impactful climate-related client work, reducing its operational carbon impact across its real estate and business travel, and empowering lawyers as sustainability champions to harness their green commitment and expertise. To make a positive contribution within the business and legal community, the firm is a member of associations including The Chancery Lane Project, World Ocean Council, Renewable World, and the Campaign for Greener Arbitrations.

The firm’s sustainable land development team, headed by Tom Gray, recently advised Scottish Natural Heritage on a project that aims to restore the Scottish Peatlands, which store 1.7bn tonnes of carbon. The firm helped with funding and management agreements, and has so far completed agreements relating to approximately 2,200 hectares of peatland restoration.

In the renewable projects area, a team led by Omar Ali is assisting Pennon Group with the acquisition of the Cullerlie solar project in Aberdeenshire, which formed part of a portfolio acquisition of three projects totaling 100MW, acquired from Elgin Energy.

Internally, the firm seeks to achieve net zero by 2045. It also has an employee-led sustainability group which implements a number of initiatives, including boosting the office’s recycling practices and providing training sessions on, for example, ways in which law firms can become sustainability champions.

Externally, the firm hosts a number of green events in the country including Natural Capital, a series of events discussing natural capital trends and opportunities, such as peatland restoration; and The Blueprint, a forum discussing how to contribute to Net Zero ambitions.

A continuing highlight is the firm’s representation of thousands of individuals and business purchasers of diesel Mercedes vehicles against Mercedes-Benz, in what is considered one of the largest group actions to be brought before the English courts (known as Dieselgate). The German Transport Authority found that Mercedes installed devices in Diesel vehicles that could cheat emissions tests, allowing the car manufacturer to misrepresent vehicles’ actual levels of emissions, thereby causing a negative impact on air pollution.

Jazrawi and others are also advising The Environmental Law Foundation on intervening ongoing litigation between United Utilities (UU) and Manchester Shipping Canal Company Limited (MSCCL), supporting MSCCL’s argument that the Water Industry Act 1991 does not preclude private individuals from advancing common law claims against water utility companies, including tortious actions concerning the release of untreated sewage into waterways. The intervention intends to ensure that all river users have access to cleaner, less polluted waters, and that water companies remain legally accountable.

Outside of its client work, the firm demonstrates its expertise in environmental and climate change matters via its thought leadership on its dedicated Climate Impact Hub.

Key contact Ingrid Gubbay contributes to the development of climate change litigation via her appointment by the British Institute of International and Comparative Law as a Visiting Research Fellow for their expert group on Climate and Environment.

In a transaction worth up to £300m, a cross-practice team advised a syndicate of lenders in financing the construction of Statera Energy’s 300 MW battery energy storage system project in Thurrock. With the project set to be one of the leading BESS assets in the country, the financing was vital in augmenting the UK’s capacity for flexible and clean energy generation and storage.

The firm continues to represent BP in its proposals to store the carbon emitted by heavy industrial areas on Teesside and Humberside in a North Sea aquifer, providing a vital bridge as industry transitions to renewable energy sources. The team assisted in regulatory aspects of the project, which will enable 50% of the UK’s industrial emissions to be captured over its fifty-year lifetime.

Supplementing its client advice, the firm’s global ESG team offers thought leadership including disclosure and reporting trackers, briefing updates on ESG regulation and climate developments, and sustainability podcast and webinar series.

As communicated through its responsible business report, the firm has a short-term science-based target to halve emissions by 2030 and has introduced policies to practice responsible procurement and manage its environmental impact.

In a £1.3bn mandate, a cross-practice team is advising energy infrastructure company Smart Metering Systems on its takeover offer by KKR. The transaction, among the leading public M&A deals in 2023, supports the scaling-up of the client’s smart energy asset portfolio, which includes battery storage, EV charging, and energy transition assets.

Key to the firm’s green footprint is its broad sustainability commitments within the community. The firm is a member of The Chancery Lane Project, working to produce contracts which support solutions to climate change; has a global pro bono partnership with WaterAid, focused on delivering climate-resilient projects in Mozambique; and advised charity partner The Wildlife Trusts on its access to £38m funding from Aviva in order to finance its habitat restoration, carbon storage, and biodiversity protection projects.

To develop an intrinsic green character, the firm trains all its lawyers in ESG through its HL BaSE programme and has formed a network of sustainability stewards and committees to support its offices through its climate transition plan, which follows verified science-based targets to reduce scopes 1 and 2 emissions 90% by 2030. To leave a positive and transparent sustainability impact, the firm reports against the UN Global Compact, EcoVadis, and CDP.

Demonstrating its longstanding expertise in the voluntary carbon market sector, a cross-practice team is representing Carbonaires on its investments into global clean energy and carbon abatement projects. Through the mandate, the client generates carbon credits corresponding to additional and impactful climate- and energy transition-focused projects which are then sold-on to corporates to help pursue their diverse sustainability goals.

For clean energy funder and developer Thrive Renewables, the energy practice is advising on the completion of power purchase agreements and asset optimisation agreements. Within the mandate, the firm assisted in drafting novel high-value contracts for the sale of power to large utility companies.

Committed to collaboratively tackling the climate crisis, the firm is a member of the Legal Sustainability Alliance, which shares best practices among firms to inspire positive climate action, and the UK Green Building Council, which works to decarbonise the built environment. The ESG group also regularly speaks at industry conferences on how to integrate sustainability considerations into disputes and insolvency, real estate, and investment mandates.

Pursuing its responsible business strategy, the firm conducted a materiality assessment which kick-started as key strategic aims the development of a carbon reduction plan, environmental champions network, and emissions offsetting programme. Within its London office, the firm has an ISO14001-certified environmental management system, sends zero waste to landfill, and uses entirely REGO-certified renewable electricity.

In line with its green transition workload, the firm is not only a proud signatory to the Legal Renewables Initiative but is also taking active measures to reduce its own impact. It hopes to power its offices using 100% renewable energy by 2025 and is tracking its carbon footprint through its partnership with EcoVadis.

As a member of the Legal Sustainability Alliance, the firm shows further commitment to inspiring positive change within the legal community. Beyond that, it has also developed the Carbon Literacy course, directed at SMEs, and an ESG Advisory Service, through which corporate clients can access information on regulatory changes, ask questions and build their own ESG strategies.

It has also drafted various climate change clauses for The Chancery Lane Project.

Within the team, practice head Claire Petricca-Riding, newly appointed environmental partner Keith Davidson and pro bono enthusiast Jill Crawford stand out, recognised for their contribution to thought leadership on ESG. Crawford is also a lead advisor to Tacguama and the Sierra Leone Government on its wildlife reform act, which works to protect endangered species.

The group has also partnered with Red Inc, through which it has planted around 19,000 trees in Eden Reforestation Projects, as well as over 100 for Trees for Cities.

To make a positive impact in the startup space, the firm provides pro bono IP advice to green programmes and accelerators including: Carbon13, providing support and mentoring for scalable emissions reduction and removal ventures; Bethnal Green Ventures, providing IP training to early-stage green tech companies; and Cleantech Venture Days, offering IP guidance and sponsorship to support climatetech innovation.

The firm also offers regular thought leadership into emerging cleantech topics, including maritime and aquaculture innovation, green energy opportunities, low-carbon transport, and novel technologies supporting the decarbonisation of the built environment.

Through its commitment to environmental responsibility, the firm’s London and Cambridge offices send zero waste to landfill, are BREEAM certified, and are accredited to the ISO140001 and ISO50001 environmental and energy management system standards. Recently, in July 2024, the firm received a Bronze medal from sustainability rating platform EcoVadis.

For B-Corp-certified asset manager Helios Investment Partners, ESG strategy and regulation experts Rhys Davies and Daniel D’Ambrosio are advising on the launch of the CLEAR climate impact-focused thematic growth fund. With a target size of $400m, the fund will seek investment opportunities in African businesses across climate-smart agriculture, green transport and energy, resource efficiency, and climate enablement. Assisting in the formation and deployment of the fund, the firm provided advice across sustainable finance and climate risk management matters.

For global asset manager TPG, the firm is assisting in the formation of the Rise Climate Fund, which has a mandate to invest in climate change mitigation companies across the energy transition, green mobility, sustainable fuels, and carbon solutions segments. The team’s advice helps support the client in compliance with emerging disclosure regimes, developing a sustainability due diligence strategy, and enabling portfolio companies to bolster their sustainability performance.

The firm also makes a key contribution through its ESG thought leadership offering, providing insights into topics including sustainability disclosure requirements, nature-related reporting, and ESG requirements for in-house counsel. The ESG practice is representing Invest Europe in updating its investor reporting guidelines to be aligned with the fast-moving sustainability landscape.

Richard Meeran, head of the firm’s international department, is working on a class action against Anglo American South Africa, on behalf of over 100,000 individuals in Zambia believed to have been poisoned by lead from a lead mine which during its most productive period was owned by Anglo. The operations of the mine allegedly caused widespread contamination of the soil, dust, water and vegetation in the area.

Daniel Leader, who has expertise in ESG litigation, is advising the Ogale and Bille Communities in the Niger Delta on bringing civil claims against Shell and its Nigerian subsidiary, SPDC. The claimants argue that Shell should be held accountable to oil spills from its pipelines, which caused long-term and serious contamination of their land and water.

In October 2023, the firm signed up to the Greener Litigation Pledge. It is also a member of the Legal Sustainability Alliance.

Sandy Abrahams, who specialises in clean and low carbon energy projects in the UK and UK Climate Change Litigation, is assisting The Silvertown Partnership, on a regeneration project which intends to build 6,500 new homes which will receive net-zero heating and cooling created from the waste of the adjacent Tate and Lyle sugar refinery.

David Short, who advises across different legal areas for businesses involved in the net zero transition, is advising Wendling Beck on the structuring for a 2,000-acre nature restoration and biodiversity enhancement project in Norfolk.

Other key individuals include Tom Bainbridge, who has notable experience in decentralised energy and district heating, and Nikola Zahariev, who specialises in renewable and low carbon energy projects.

In addition to its client work, the firm commits at least 1% of its turnover (3% in 2023) to green charities and campaigns.

All of the firm’s individuals work from home, meeting regularly to co-work. As such, they do not have an office or direct emissions.

As an affiliate of the Legal Sustainability Alliance, the firm is committed to reducing its environmental impact and, with the help of its carbon consultants, has implemented a strategy to do so, not only through a waste management system but also through engaging with its supply chain and tracking its progress through EcoVadis and the Carbon Disclosure Project. The firm has also pledged to continue sourcing 100% of its electricity from renewables in line with its Legal Renewables Initiative. 

The group additionally hopes to inspire its employees to act similary, hosting events for staff, arranged through the Environmental Committee, through which they can learn to reduce their own impact. It has also recently launched the ESG Commercial Legal Programme for trainees to help embed them into its ESG strategy. 

Elsewhere, the firm continues to raise awareness about sustainability through its involvement in public events, conferences and thought leadership, for which Rachel Richardson, head of ESG, and Praveen Gopalan, head of Sustainability, stand out in particular. 

Of note is the firm’s partnership with the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance, of which it is a member and with whom it ran a public event on greenwashing for London Climate Action Week 2023, along with its close and historic collaboration with The Chancery Lane Project. 

Demonstrating its expertise on diverse mandates concerning low-carbon developments, the firm is acting for Stanhope and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan on asset management matters related to their BREEAM Outstanding office building at 70 Gracechurch Street; insurance company Acrisure on its acquisition of the BREEAM Excellent development at 40 Leadenhall Street; and alternative investment manager Cheyne Capital on the construction of the renewable electricity-powered BREEAM Excellent co-living scheme at Westbourne Park in Westminster.

To make a positive sustainability impact in the business and legal community, the firm is a signatory to the Greener Litigation Pledge, with which it engages to decarbonise the practice of its disputes work, and a member of the British Property Federation’s Net Zero Pledge and Green Lease Working Group.

Building off the expertise gained through its client work, the firm is a thought leader on topics including green leases, carbon pathways in the built environment sector, and ESG building credentials. Internally, the firm is currently establishing its net zero pathway and has started the process to earn B-Corp certification.

A key authority in the sustainable capital markets space, Peter Pears represented International Finance Corporation on the $75m issuance of sustainability notes, whose proceeds will support diverse sustainability objectives including the financing of MSMEs involved in green and social projects. Another key client is major Canadian financial institution CDPQ, whom the team advises on sustainability reporting and disclosure matters, including its obligations under the EU CSRD.

In the pro bono space, the firm provides free legal and compliance assistance to sustainability-focused startups from Imperial College’s Enterprise Lab through the Green Tech Legal Collaborative organisation. The firm’s lawyers also serve on industry panels including the International Capital Markets Association Advisory Council on green, social, sustainability, and sustainability-linked bond principles, and on the Circular Fashion Innovation Network Advisory Board.

London head of the firm’s environment practice Tim Baines is another core member of the ESG group.

Director of sustainability Chris Turner leads the firm’s internal green agenda and carbon footprint reduction practices. Pursuing the aims stated in its responsible business statement, the firm operates in London from a BREEAM Excellent office which features an ISO140001 accreditation, procures its electricity from entirely renewable sources, and sends zero waste to landfill.

Cambridge-based sustainable chemistry patents specialist Eleanor Maciver leads the firm’s green activity as sustainability champion, coordinating the sustainability collaboration group which pursues the firm’s environment strategy and climate action plan. Working toward its sustainability targets, the firm tracks its carbon footprint against its net-zero transition plan, plants a tree for each new matter opened, donates to solar power and carbon removal projects, and works with green suppliers to decarbonise its supply chain.

Internally, the firm has also been taking steps to reduce its carbon footprint – with a particular focus on its supply chain – and has been awarded the Planet Mark Business Certification for two consecutive years. 

The group also regularly participates in sustainability-related webinars and produces its own podcast. Since hosting its second Sustainable Agriculture Conference back in 2022, it has, in the past year, gone on to deliver a series of Natural Capital Workshops regarding the development and management of the countryside and has been providing pro bono support to the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group. 

As a founding member of the Chancery Lane Project and a signatory to the Campaign for Greener Arbitrations, the group shows further dedication to a greener future, using its voice to inspire positive change within the legal community.

In another ongoing highlight, the firm is assisting Nature & People Foundation, which aims to help cities and urban areas promote and align investment in biodiversity with their social and economic needs; the firm is working towards developing a global standard for measuring enhancements in biodiversity in cities.

Christina Chambers, who specialises in ESG matters, recently advised Clean Up Britain on how to use the law to hold National Highways, the government agency, to account for its failure to keep roadside land free of litter.

The firm is a founding member of the Greener Litigation Pledge, The Legal Charter 1.5, the Climate Science and Law Forum and the Green Hydrogen Investor Forum, as well as a member of the Net Zero Alliance and the Legal Sustainability Alliance among others.

Externally, the firm has partnered with NGO AllRise, which aims to use the power of climate change litigation to hold those who knowingly cause harm through environmental damage accountable, to launch the Climate Action Fund. The fund is a seed-stage investment vehicle to originate actionable, high-impact climate litigation matters from scratch.

Outside of client work, the firm also demonstrates its expertise in green matters through its thought leadership. Led by key individual Rob Marsh, who heads the firm’s energy, infrastructure, and natural resources team in London, the firm’s offshore wind specialists recently published a new global offshore wind report. The firm also disseminates informatiom via its Energy Transition hub.

Caroline May is the firm’s head of sustainability, as well as the chair of the Law Society Working Group on Climate Change and co-chair of the Legal Sustainability Alliance. Charles Whitney leads the energy sector group for EMEA.

The firm was recently awarded the Ecovadis Gold Certification standard, recognising its sustainability efforts.

A cross-disciplinary team spanning Bristol and London is acting for investment company The Renewables Investment Group on construction, O&M, real estate, grid, and optimisation agreements for four development-phase battery storage projects. The mandate, demonstrating the firm’s skill across the fast-growing BESS segment, is key in supporting the reliability and flexibility of domestic clean electricity.

Keen to use its knowledge to promote sustainability and nature-based initiatives, the firm sponsors the World EV Day and provides funding for the Avon Wildlife Trust to support its urban engagement programmes.

Through its Osborne Clarke for Good sustainability initiative, which is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the firm has committed to science-based targets to reach net-zero emissions by 2040. As key recent efforts to reduce its emissions impact, the firm moved into a BREEAM Outstanding office in Bristol and signed the Greener Litigation Pledge to decarbonise its disputes work.

The firm is also acting for Mighty Earth on evaluating strategic litigation opportunities, seeking to persuade leading individuals to reduce deforestation and climate pollution through their activities and improve the livelihood of the indigenous and local communities world-wide.

Key individuals also demonstrate their green expertise outside client work: Partner Fiona Huntriss recently spoke to the BBC about greenwashing; pro-bono lead Kimmie Fearnside participated in a podcast discussing the importance of pro bono work in tackling societal issues including climate change.

Associate Rekha Rogers has been appointed as the firm’ environmental lead, and aims to make the firm’s operations more sustainable internally. The firm has committed to the Greener Litigation Pledge and the Campaign for Greener Arbitration. It is also the first UK law firm to partner with TIME CO2, a new eco-sustainability division of TIME focused on assisting businesses reach net zero. Additionally, its London office is rated BREAAM and has switched to 100% renewable energy.

The projects team is assisting energy infrastructure developer Carlton Power in its joint venture to develop, construct, and operate a 500 MW green hydrogen production pipeline. Following the firm’s advice across all legal aspects, the under-development Trafford, Langage, and Barrow-in-Furness projects have been shortlisted for financial support within the UK’s inaugural Electrolytic Hydrogen Allocation Round.

A key contact is London-based ESG and sustainable finance specialist Hayden Morgan, who co-leads the firm’s representation of alternative asset manager Gresham House regarding the structuring and formation of its sustainable international forestry fund. Within the transaction, the firm assisted in aligning the investment process and policies with the EU Taxonomy and article 9 of the SFDR, supporting the fund in its objective to deliver afforestation alongside sustainable investment returns.

Committed to supporting green programmes in the wider community, the firm is a founding member of the Legal Charter 1.5, which catalyses transparent and accountable green best practice among major corporate and commercial law firms to help the sector address the climate crisis. Internally, the firm has a verified science-based target to reach net zero by 2040.

Goodhead is also advising a number of claimants against Brazilian petrochemical company Braskem and its Dutch subsidiaries on a claim worth circa £100m over significant socio-environmental destruction (including an earthquake) allegedly caused by its mining activities.

In another ongoing case, the firm dontinues to act on behalf of municipalities and thousands of affected Brazilian claimants in an environmental litigation against German company TÜV SÜD, claiming that a wholly owned subsidiary of the company’s group in Brazil issued a Dam safety certification months before the dam collapsed in Brumadinho. The collapse resulted in 272 deaths, and a highly damaged ecosystem from the leak of toxic chemicals.

The firm has also organised multiple events in the UK Parliament on climate change, air pollution, and environmental justice, and the team speaks regularly at ESG events worldwide, including at the United Nations.

Johnson and others are also assisting 23 landowners in a consortium in respect of a nationally significant infrastructure project involving solar, battery, and other technologies, which will constitute one of the UK’s first 1GW solar schemes.

Internally, the firm has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2040. It also has a Green Team, which aims to coordinate environmental activities and make the firm’s operations more sustainable.

A key client is the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), whom the firm advises across multiple mandates. The firm served as legal adviser on the structuring and funding of the client’s £160m Floating Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme, which will finance the creation of port infrastructure to enable the delivery of 5 GW of floating offshore wind by 2030. The team also advised DESNZ on the structuring, competition documents, public law requirements, and funding agreements for its £100m Offshore Coordination Support Scheme, which will provide grants to enable the development of coordinated offshore transmission assets. The mandate is vital in limiting the environmental and energy challenges caused by the current congestion of electricity infrastructure and transmission.

Through its ‘Green Steves’ programme, the firm offers free legal advice and thought leadership for public bodies on the available solutions for tackling the climate crisis. It also provides 10 hours of free legal advice to local authorities to assist them through the challenging feasibility stage for green projects.

To make a positive impact through its internal initiatives, the firm uses entirely renewable electricity, has achieved Planet Mark certification for its carbon reduction strategy, and has established a climate emergency task force through which it pursues its net-zero goals.

For The Land Trust, the firm advised on the agreement which allows the client to offer biodiversity units within its New Park Springs reserve. The novel allocation agreement serves as innovative precedent for future development projects, whereby local biodiversity loss caused can be offset and managed through the reserve.

Also in the fast-moving natural capital space, the firm is providing Lancaster City Council planning and environmental advice on the necessary legal mechanisms and agreements to secure biodiversity net gain land, helping the client navigate opportunities within the nascent legal framework.

Assisting in the decarbonisation of the built environment, the team acted for investor Feldberg Capital and its £500m brown-to-green workplace fund in the acquisition of an old mixed-use development to be transitioned into a sustainable property. The real estate team also provides thought leadership to landlords and investors on how to utilise green leases to deliver on their decarbonisation strategies.

Committed to the transparent reporting of its journey to reach net-zero emissions across its value chain by 2040, the firm publishes an annual carbon reduction plan. To spark dialogue within its transition journey, it is a signatory to organisations including the UN Global Compact, Business Ambition for 1.5 and Race to Zero, and the Legal Sustainability Alliance and its Legal Renewables Initiative.

In the clean energy space, the firm advised AXA Group on its Virtual Power Purchase Agreement with IGNIS, a Spanish renewable energy group. The contract signed by the client concerns a solar plant; under the agreement, the client undertakes to purchase 90% of the renewable electricity produced by the plant, or 84GWh per year.

Outside of its client work, the firm demonstrates its expertise in environmental matters through its thought leadership; for example, it recently published a report based on a global survey of 700 senior business executives and investors, exploring the perceived opportunities and risks in ESG.

The firm has a GreenTech Fund which supports four start-ups focusing on using technology to mitigate the climate and biodiversity crisis with £100,000 worth of legal advice from across the firm’s network, yearly. Additionally, it has developed a number of ESG tools, including its ESG tracker which monitors relevant ESG legislative and regulatory developments, and its Clean Energy Tool, which offers access to legal and regulatory renewable energy data.

Key individual Sonali Siriwardena is the firm’s global head of ESG, 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.

Of its battery storage portfolio, the team has been advising Intelligent Land Investments Group PLC on the sale of its 50MW battery storage project at Alness to EDP Renewables, along with supporting Field Energy’s acquisition of two battery storage sites, which have a combined capacity of 200MWh. 

With the help of its dedicated sustainability steering committee, now led by Bristol-based head of future energy and real estate Maria Connolly, the firm has been working to reduce its carbon footprint since 2021 and hopes to achieve net zero by 2024. In line with this goal, it has also invested in a new emissions and supply chain management platform to track and reduce the bulk of its emissions. Overall, its targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative and in 2024 the firm received a Climate Change B score from the CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project).

Beyond this, the firm is also a member of The Chancery Lane Project, through which it has been involved in drafting climate clauses, and has developed the Geener Disputes committee which focuses on reducing litigation emissions and delivers training to colleagues and clients. 

Elsewhere, it is also investing in climate action education, working with The Green Britain Foundation to provide support and funding in support of the Ministry of Eco Education’s development of an eco-curriculum. 

As a proud signatory of the Law Society Pro Bono Charter, its partnership with Belmont Estate, which supports its mission to restore biodiversity and combat climate change breakdown, is also noteworthy. 

Additionally, the firm recently advised KFC on a multi-year project which includes the delivery of a tailored legislation, reporting, and compliance timeline with particular focus on packaging waste, the circular economy, climate change, animal welfare, biodiversity and deforestation.

Some of the firm’s other notable clients include WWF, The Impact Investing Institute, The Green Finance Institute, and the Global Alliance of Impact Lawyers.

The firm recently completed a year-long internal ESG and Sustainable Finance Academy, open to all employees, which consisted of 10 monthly modules and covered topics such as climate change and natural capital. It also participated in the Green Tech Legal Collaborative, through which it advised seven climate-conscious startups addressing issues such as recyclable wind turbine production and the build-out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Key contact Heather Gagen is head of the firm’s Dispute Resolution department, and ESG and Impact group; Simon Witney chairs the firm’s ESG and Impact group; and Jonathan Gilmour is a member of the UK Board of the Global Alliance of Impact Lawyers.

In another recent matter, the firm assisted Farnborough Airport (FAL) with the installation of large scale rooftop solar arrays across multiple buildings at the airport and airport hotel; the project forms an integral part of FAL’s commitment to achieve net-zero by 2030.

The firm is an active member of the Chancery Lane Project, and is involved in the creation of the Sustainability Reporting Standard for UK Social Housing.

In the sustainable debt capital markets space, a key client is freight group Streem Holding, whom the firm acted for in its latest private placement offering. Within the mandate, the firm advised on a €700m green note issuance, providing vital financial support to the client in its programme to decarbonise global logistics chains.

The team also possesses deep experience regarding sustainability-linked financings and facilities, with notable mandates including acting for renewable energy producer Sonnedix on the refinancing of its inaugural sustainability-linked corporate loan facilities, consequently funding the development and operation of clean power projects; and rolling stock lessor Nexrail on the closure of its €322m sustainability-linked debt facility, which will support its transition to a low-carbon fleet.

Pro bono advice is key to the firm’s sustainability offering: a multi-jurisdictional team provides legal support to the Common Seas project, helping the NGO upscale its capacity in tackling marine plastic pollution.

Through its firmwide carbon reduction plan and global environmental charter, the firm pursues its science-based target to reduce its footprint by over 50% by 2032. Progressing toward this goal, the firm uses entirely renewable electricity in its London office and partnered with a carbon tracking platform so staff can manage their footprints.

For ongoing client the British Insurance Brokers Association, the environmental team advised on the development of an ESG guide for its members. Demonstrating the broad-reaching expertise of the team, the guide explored legal obligations and horizon-scanning on topics including green offices, carbon management, responsible procurement, and green products.

The firm is keen to harness its legal knowledge and provide accessible support to its clients by offering thought leadership into topics including greenwashing, corporate power purchase agreements, green leases, and corporate sustainability regulation. Helping leave a positive impact within the legal community and empower the next generation of green legal teams, the firm is a member of the Legal Sustainability Alliance and participates in the UN SDG Accelerator programme to provide its junior lawyers a sustainability education.

Committed to accountable and transparent climate action, the firm is validating its target to become net zero by 2030 with the Science-Based Targets Initiative. Progressing toward this goal, it received a silver sustainability rating from EcoVadis and is working to reduce the emissions of its disputes services as a member of the Greener Litigation Pledge.

A key ongoing client is Vattenfall, whom the firm assists on the promotion and examination of the development consent orders, consenting strategy, and land assembly for its 3.6 GW Norfolk Vanguard and Norfolk Boreas offshore wind farms. In recent work for the client, a cross-office planning team is advising on the use of compulsory purchase powers granted through the DCOs.

From Bristol, renewable energy specialist Chris Towner led the advice to The National Trust on its UK-wide roll-out of EV charging points and on its framework services agreement with RAW Charging, which made a £12m investment to install, operate, and maintain the network. Within the mandate, which supports the charity’s target to be net zero by 2030, a multidisciplinary team assisted on commercial, regulatory, energy, and real estate matters.

Alongside being a founding member of the Legal Sustainability Alliance and a member of industry bodies including Renewables UK, the firm engages with the business community on the green transition through holding net-zero engagement workshops with its suppliers.

Pursuing the commitment within its responsible business strategy to be net zero by 2030, the firm has implemented a carbon reduction plan and sustainable procurement policy, reports its carbon footprint through The Planet Mark, and received a gold certification from EcoVadis for its sustainability initiatives.