Bird & Bird LLP

Sophie is a Corporate & Projects Partner heading our Energy Team and sits in the Steering Committee for our global Energy & Utilities Group. She co-heads our International Renewables Group and is globally responsible for the development of wind.

Sophie has been advising the energy sector since 1999 on all corporate, projects and contract matters. After being involved in all the major energy transactions and regulatory changes during the privatisation of the Dutch energy market, her practice now mostly focuses on the structuring and, more specifically, the development and construction of national and international energy projects. Sophie has vast experience in drafting and negotiating key project agreements - for both conventional and renewable energy projects - which are often the basis for securing project financing.

With a corporate background, Sophie also advises national and international (energy) companies on privatisations, cross border mergers and acquisitions, and restructurings. In addition, Sophie has advised energy companies and financial institutions on the contractual and corporate issues related to legal consequences of the regulatory changes. She regularly advises on innovative structures such as Corporate PPAs enabling acceleration of the renewable energy transition. She was Nominated Euromoney's European Women in Business Law award 'Best in Energy' in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Before joining us, Sophie worked both for other international law firms and in house where she led the legal aspects of the development of projects. She has extensive experience in providing strategic & boardroom advice.

Sophie is dual qualified in the Netherlands and in the UK.

She is a member of a number of professional associations, including the Dutch Energy Law Association (NeVER), the International Bar Association (IBA) and the UK Society of Construction Law. Sophie speaks regularly on conferences and her numerous articles on energy-related subjects are published in both legal and industry magazines.

Sophie is a Corporate & Projects Partner heading our Energy Team and sits in the Steering Committee for our global Energy & Utilities Group. She co-heads our International Renewables Group and is globally responsible for the development of wind.

Before joining us, Sophie worked both for large international law firms, and in house where she led the legal team on the development of several cross border multi-billion projects.  Through her in house roles, she gained extensive experience in providing strategic & boardroom advice to relevant stakeholders and she is seen by her clients as a true business partner rather than an external lawyer.

English and Dutch

Dutch Energy Law Association (NeVER) International Bar Association UK Society of Construction Law

Civil law, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (1996-2002) Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test, College of Law, London (2007) Commercial and Business Law, College of Law, London (2006-2007)