Slaughter and May boasts a ‘multidisciplinary approach with individual lawyers who are able to provide top class advice across a range of specialist areas’, handling cutting-edge energy and infrastructure projects both in the UK and abroad. With the energy transition as a key focus, the firm’s portfolio includes hydrogen, CCUS, and renewable energy ventures. Additionally, it remains deeply involved in the financing and development of social, digital, and transport infrastructure projects. Team head Michael Corbett has a broad practice that includes M&A, financing, development and regulatory expertise. Co-head Hywel Davies has recently advised on water, carbon capture, and nuclear projects, while Richard Todd is chiefly recognised for his work in the renewables space. Oly Moir is well-positioned to act across the entire project value chain and advises a host of strategics, sponsors and financial institutions.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'The team has multi-disciplinary approach with individual lawyers who are able to provide top class advice across a range of specialist areas. That is very valuable in being able to provide a seamless and efficient service, driven by the lawyers who have the key client relationships. The S&M team all genuinely seem to have in-depth knowledge and experience of a wide range of areas.' 
  • 'Oly Moir is our principal contact and is a stand-out individual. Oly has vast experience of renewables transactions and an intimate knowledge of the business models that underpin renewables in the UK. He is also actively involved in shaping the emerging business models and is acutely aware of the subtle differences between the models, the commercial implications of any differences.'
  • 'Oly has experience and is able to give top quality advice on all aspects of renewables projects including corporate structuring, partnering, bankability, project interface arrangements, government support and key construction and licensing contracts. Oly is able to consistently give efficient and pragmatic advice in an affable and friendly manner and his availability and accessibility are outstanding.'
  • 'The practice is very innovative at finding workable solutions to complex problems and they are very responsive.'
  • 'They have the ability to think out of the box, to anticipate problems, and have solutions to hand. Richard Todd is worthy of mention.'

Key clients

  • ENGIE SA
  • BlackRock
  • Pennon Group Plc
  • UK Infrastructure Bank Limited
  • INEOS
  • Viridor Limited
  • Hyphen Hydrogen Energy
  • Motorola Solutions, Inc.
  • Vodafone
  • Castleton Commodities UK
  • Northern Powergrid
  • Centrica
  • Ferrovial
  • Interserve
  • Amber Infrastructure United Utilities
  • Australian Retirement Trust
  • KKR
  • Drax

Work highlights

  • Advised ENGIE SA as lead counsel in relation to its negotiations with the Belgian government concerning a ten-year lifetime extension of two nuclear units, agreements for which were signed on 13 December 2023.
  • Advised Kellas on all aspects of its development of its ground-breaking H2NorthEast project. This includes advising them on their high-profile FEED and licensing arrangements with Worley and Johnson Matthey, as well as in connection with the regulatory and subsidy framework, and their offtake arrangements.
  • Advised Hyphen Hydrogen Energy on the pioneering $10 billion feasibility and implementation agreement which it agreed with the Government of the Republic of Namibia for the development of Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest green hydrogen project.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Michael Corbett, Hywel Davies

Other key lawyers

Richard Todd, Oly Moir