Team size: Three

Major legal advisers: LK Shields Solicitors LLP and Pinsent Masons

How has the increasing consciousness of climate change and sustainability affected your company and the team’s priorities?

This has long been a priority and key element of Veolia’s offering. However, traditionally our clients have tended to be more focused on operational and financial outcomes, with consideration and implementation of sustainability measures being a bonus. In recent times, we are pleased to witness the increased priority being placed by our clients on managing climate change and sustainability. What this has meant for our legal team has been the adoption of new contract structures with meaningful and ambitious energy management and other targets which can lead to real impact for our clients. Establishing circular economy projects to encourage the development of local circular economies, Veolia has for example recently signed a new Energy Performance Contract (EPC) with St James’s Hospital.

In what ways do you see the in-house legal role evolving in your region over the next few years?

The role of in-house counsel within multinational and other large organisations in Ireland is already relatively sophisticated and well developed. Companies seem to be more open to embracing the role of in-house legal counsel as an integrated support function to business performance and success, rather than seeing it as a purely compliance role. We suspect that the model in Ireland will evolve further as organisations see the value that comes from the legal team playing an active role within the business decision-making process and demonstrating leadership and collaboration. The real value of the in-house role can be the strategic insight that comes from the unique position of the lawyer as a collaborator and innovator, as well as gatekeeper and compliance.

What are the most significant cases and/or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?

One of the largest projects that we have worked on in the last year is our water project in Osberstown, Naas. Veolia upgraded the Sludge Treatment Facility using Advanced Anaerobic Digestion (AAD) which converts organic waste material within municipal sludge into valuable biogas, a renewable fuel. By combining our innovative technological solutions, we have successfully increased the capacity of wastewater treatment for the local council and Irish Water, serving a population equivalent of 130,000 people and numerous local industries. Working with a large technology manufacturer as a high-tech sector leader, Veolia has also designed and implemented a circular solution which results in the yearly recovery of 13,500 tonnes of solvent waste.

As we enter the next decade, what skills will a corporate legal team need to succeed in the modern in-house industry?

Maintaining an open mindset will be key to finding innovative solutions and to managing and mitigating risks. As the legal remit grows, teams will need to be agile and flexible in an increasingly fast changing corporate and societal environment, while continuing to manage their external legal spend. Exciting times are ahead.