England - Yorkshire And The Humber • Projects, energy and natural resources (including PFI)

Shoosmiths LLP

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Shoosmiths LLP’s energy and infrastructure practice has seen continuous growth, with the team being involved in a broad range of matters. Key focus areas for the team include advising on clean energy development, energy procurement, and infrastructure investment mandates. James Wood-Robertson heads up the team, with considerable experience advising on infrastructure and renewable energy projects, including waste PPP transactions. Also noted is Jennifer Clarke, who has experience advising on cross-sector projects, with particular expertise in non-contentious public procurement projects.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Excellent knowledge of the sector, particularly knowledge of the Power Purchase Agreement, Wind Turbine Supply Agreements and Share Purchase Agreements.’

  • ‘Great team spirit and good knowledge across a diverse sector.’

  • ‘Good value, very dedicated and fresh.’

  • ‘Previous experience representing both generators and energy buyers (both sides of the equation) and integration with local suppliers is very beneficial to our negotiations and contracting.’

  • ‘Great service, real expertise.’

  • ‘The team is very personable, approachable and flexible so that when legal issues arise, they are quick to respond and support when required.’

  • ‘The team is very approachable and friendly.’

Key clients

  • Equitix
  • Foresight Group
  • EnergieKontor
  • ABO Wind
  • ITM Power
  • TotalEnergies
  • Gresham House
  • DIF Capital
  • Triple Point
  • Iona Capital
  • ASDA
  • Iceland Foods
  • Iron Mountain Data Centres
  • Molson Coors
  • Cellnex
  • Switch2 Energy
  • EZ Charge
  • Reserflex
  • B9 Energy
  • Wolfland Group
  • MPG Wind

Work highlights

  • Advised leading UK infrastructure fund, Equitix, on its £84m investment into fibre network provider, Freedom Fibre.
  • Advising German onshore wind developer, EnergieKontor, on the development of several onshore wind projects and a solar PV project across the UK.
  • Advising Iceland Foods on long-term, high-value corporate power purchase agreements with several renewable energy developers.

Lawyers

Next Generation Partners

James Wood-Robertson

James Wood-Robertson

Shoosmiths LLP

James is an experienced commercial infrastructure lawyer, who has advised on major capital projects across a variety of sectors in the UK and overseas, including energy from waste, renewable energy, transport, education, health, leisure, and serviced accommodation. James is a recognised specialist in the waste sector having advised at procuring authority, sponsor or funder level on more than twenty waste PPP projects in the UK, Europe, the GCC and Africa.  In recent years, James has advised on a significant number of renewable energy projects, including the acquisition, disposal, financing and refinancing of onshore wind and large scale solar PV projects and rooftop solar PV schemes involving local authorities and housing associations.  He also has considerable experience of advising generators, end-users/off-takers and licensed suppliers on power purchase agreements, including corporate/end-user PPAs  and heat supply agreements and district heating projects. His recent experience includes: advising a West Yorkshire local authority on the procurement of its waste management PPP project and advising a major UK waste business on its successful bid for a waste PPP project in Scotland; advising a leading Chinese solar manufacturer and developer on the drafting and negotiation of EPC and O&M contracts on several ground-mounted solar PV projects and advising on the disposal of its developed sites; advising Taiwan's leading solar PV panel manufacturer on all of its UK housing association rooftop solar PV projects; advising a leading UK bank on the negotiation and completion of its power purchase agreement with an operator of a portfolio of landfill gas power plants, which provides sufficient electricity to meet 20% of the bank's energy requirements; advising an onshore wind developer on its end-user power purchase agreements with two large corporates and advising the developer and funder of a large onshore wind farm in Scotland on its Contract for Difference (CfD) PPA; advising a national infrastructure business on heat supply agreements with a school and a residential development in respect of heat generated by the transformers in a major substation being constructed in Highbury, North London; and advising the UK’s leading airline on its project agreement governing its move from the North Terminal to the South Terminal at Gatwick.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

James Wood-Robertson

Other key lawyers

Jennifer Clarke