Green Guide Profile: Michelmores LLP

Michelmores LLP is a leading law firm for advice on natural capital and regularly supports clients making a positive impact on environmental and habitat protection.

In a current example, a cross-disciplinary corporate team based in Exeter and Bristol is advising the Environment Bank on a pioneering solution which entails the creation of natural habitats for biodiversity net gain and selling this to developers as credits.

The Bristol-based agriculture group is acting for Clinton Devon Estates in the structuring and drafting of a partnership agreement with the Environment Agency to deliver the £15m Lower Otter Restoration Project. The project aims to adapt and improve the downstream section of the river Otter and work with nature pre-emptively in adapting to climate change. Head of the natural capital practice Ben Sharples’ sustainability expertise has been integral to the deal.

Sharples also led advice to the Forestry Commission on one of the first nutrient neutrality deals to be finalised in England. This specifically pertains to the creation of credits based on prevention of leaching of phosphate and nitrogen from agricultural land through large scale tree planting.

The team also has strong sustainable real estate expertise with lawyers such as Richard Walford, who also co-leads the sustainable economy practice alongside Charles Courtenay.

The firm has been externally recognised for its commitment to reducing its carbon impact through Planet Mark Business certification, and the firm-wide ThinkGreen committee oversees its aspiration to achieve net zero in scopes 1 and 2 by 2030. It is also a signatory or the Campaign for Greener Arbitrations and has hosted two sustainable agriculture conferences in Bristol.

Natural capital 

Michelmores is a leading law firm in this emerging area of law, assisting landowners, farmers and developers, as well as investors and funders looking to achieve their sustainability ambitions by incorporating carbon net zero ambitions, biodiversity, nutrient neutrality, rewilding, and more. 

Head of the natural capital team, Ben Sharples, is one of the first lawyers to engage with emergent policy. The multidisciplinary team has already completed numerous deals in this space and have been the architects in several novel and ground-breaking natural capital-related schemes that have since become embedded as the norm. The team includes Alexandra Watson, Adam Corbin, Charles Courtenay, Rachel O’Connor, Josie Edwards, Chloe Vernon Shore, Katherine Everitt Nunns and Julie Sharpe.

Sustainable agriculture and agri-tech 

Michelmores’ expertise in sustainable agriculture practices have won high-profile instructions from clients in new and emerging environmental markets including Forestry Commission, Riverford Organic, Inspro and WWF. The multidisciplinary team draws on specialists from transactional property, strategic development, natural capital, planning, commercial, corporate and litigation.  

Impact investing 

Headed up by partner Ian Binnie, Michelmores’ impact investing workstream advises impact investors, financial institutions, private equity funds, project sponsors, developers and leading foundations on equity and debt investments, M&A, exits and portfolio management across a range of sectors (including healthcare, agribusiness, financial services, forestry and renewable energy). Clients include Soros Economic Development Fund, Global Medical Investments, Mama Bamboo and Oxygen House.  

Sustainable energy 

Our energy team, led by partner Ian Holyoak, serves a diverse range of national and international clients in the energy sector including Powen Group, Solar Growth Limited, Masdar Arlington, Zestec and Octopus Renewables. Practice areas cover investment, development and project finance work, mergers and acquisitions, and regulatory advice. Our current focus areas include energy and technology, hydro, EV, peaking power, solar, battery storage, AD and regulatory work.  

Sustainable infrastructure and built environment.  

This large team advises on the challenges for infrastructure developers created by net zero and the legal requirement for biodiversity net gain. Clients include county councils, numerous PLC and smaller housebuilders, farming families, and estates including Clinton Devon Estates. The team includes Emma Honey, Richard Walford, Lucy Smallwood, Julie Sharpe, Ben Hogan, Stephen Newson, Helen Hutton, Mark Howard, Andrew Baines, Charlotte Curtis, Chloe Howard Smith, Alexandra Watson, Sally Rice and Karen Williams. 

Michelmores’ lawyers are proud to advise clients who are leading the way in responsible business and welcome the move to a more sustainable global and UK economy. They help our clients make a positive impact on reducing climate change and supporting communities. 

The cross-disciplinary teams advise businesses, institutional and private investors, and landowners and developers, whose activities and financial objectives are aligned to a sustainable future. 

The last 12 months has seen a significant increase in the focus and profile of Michelmores’ practices that align our clients to a sustainable future. The firm is advising clients including the Forestry Commission, Urbaser, Clinton Devon Estates, Riverford Organic, Octopus Renewables, SOROS Economic Development Fund, Phatisa and Global Medical Investments, as well as various local authorities and NHS trusts. 

More recently, the firm consolidated its prestigious UK-leading natural capital team – bolstered by its strong agriculture and energy expertise – to assist landowners, farmers and developers looking to achieve their sustainability ambitions incorporating carbon net zero ambitions, biodiversity, nutrient neutrality and rewilding. 

Michelmores has a strong legacy of trying to reduce its impact on our environment and its work is now led through our partnership with Planet Mark, supported by wider community partnerships and initiatives. 

The firm’s ground-breaking partnership with B Corp impact investor, Oxygen House, sees us commit a proportion of this client’s legal spend towards measurable environmental initiatives. Michelmores is a founding member of the Chancery Lane Project, a pro bono initiative whereby every contract/law should help provide climate crisis solutions.