Active across projects, M&A, and banking and finance mandates, Björn Nykvist at HPP Attorneys is a key advisor to clients active across the wind, solar, battery storage, and hydrogen sectors. Nykvist is highly sought-after among public bodies, major energy companies, funds, and investors on high-value and landmark matters which help realise crucial energy transition objectives.
In the offshore wind sector, Nykvist is acting for the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment regarding financing arrangements for the development, construction, and operation of projects in its exclusive economic zone. The mandate is supporting the client in creating an innovative instrument to leverage as security in the project finance of offshore wind assets.
As a key thought leader within the business community, Nykvist continues to support industry organisation Finnish Renewables in its engagement to promote and accelerate the deployment of clean power across Finland. Nykvist is a member of the organisation’s board of directors, through which he provides legal and commercial advice, and participates within its offshore committee.
Demonstrating a leading grasp of pertinent environmental law issues, Outi Iso-Markku at HPP Attorneys regularly advises major domestic companies across the permitting of green industrial, energy, and infrastructure projects.
For municipal energy utility Vantaa Energia, Iso-Markku assisted in permitting and zoning issues concerning the Varanto thermal energy storage development project. By storing and later redeploying excess solar and thermal energy, the project helps overcome issues of intermittent power delivery in Finland and is crucial to the client’s transition away from fossil fuels in power production.
Iso-Markku is a stand-out thought leader on environmental matters within the legal and academic communities. Iso-Markku teaches on environmental law court procedure at the University of Helsinki, helping prepare the next-generation of Finnish lawyers, and participates in the environmental law expert team within the Finnish Bar Association, which is responsible for preparing the organisation’s judicial policy statements on environmental law and green transition proposals. Iso-Markku recently supported the organisation in preparing a statement on legal reform for project permitting procedures, helping streamline the realisation of projects which aid the green transition.
Environment and natural resources expert Klaus Metsä-Simola at Hannes Snellman is a key contact across the whole lifecycle of onshore wind, solar, and BESS projects. Within the clean power space,
Beyond his experience in the renewable energy space, Metsä-Simola has develop particular expertise concerning complex and landmark environmental law matters and was entrusted by the Finnish Ministry of the Environment in a regulatory analysis of their obligations regarding waste management and the attainment of circular economy targets.
A major global client is utility-scale solar development platform ib vogt, whom Metsä-Simola acted for in the disposal of a 50 MW ready-to-build BESS project in south-west Finland. By enabling the storage of green electricity, the project is key in enabling the reliable delivery of clean power across the country.
Metsä-Simola is a key contributor to the firm’s thought leadership in the energy transition space, playing a leading role within its seminar series on regulation, planning and permitting, and project finance and agreements within the hydrogen space. Outside of the firm, Metsä-Simola lectures on energy and environmental topics within the Finnish Bar Association and also supported the establishment of a professorship in sustainability law at the University of Helsinki.
Maria Landtman, who leads the green energy and energy transition team at Hannes Snellman, is a leading authority in the energy projects and construction landscape. Advising major domestic and global sponsors, offtakers, investors, fund and asset managers, and public bodies across the whole lifecycle of major projects, Landtman brings real expertise within the on- and offshore wind, solar, battery storage, and clean heat segments.
In a major €220m mandate, Landtman acted for Danske Bank and La Banque Postale on Finnish law matters regarding the project financing of a 202.5 MW onshore wind portfolio. The matter helps finance the construction and development of the Björkliden, Lumivaara, and Storbötet wind farms, which will help transform Finland’s clean electricity capacity.
Landtman coordinates the firm’s regular thought leadership on the green transition within the real assets sector, sharing key insights on how stakeholders can navigate the local investment climate and green regulatory environment when developing renewable energy projects. Landtman is also a notable speaker on green transition matters, hosting seminars on topics including construction contracting for renewables facilities.
With a career spanning over 15 years, Sandy Abrahams at Lux Nova Partners is a distinguished expert in clean and low-carbon energy projects. Specialising in the development of clean energy initiatives both in the UK and internationally, she has played a pivotal role in pioneering projects such as the first utility-scale wind farm in the Middle East and utility-scale solar farms in Jordan.
Besides her project work, Abrahams is deeply involved in policy development and industry innovation and has been instrumental in advancing transformational models for distributed and decarbonised energy generation, advising on projects such as Clean Energy Prospector’s renewable energy generation models.
She also serves as a director of Flex Assure (which establishes standards in the flexibility market) and has been appointed to the UK PACT roster of experts, contributing to global climate change expertise through the DFID-funded programme. Her international work includes hybrid solar-storage projects in Kenya, off-grid renewable electricity models, and capacity-building efforts with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) across West Africa.
Her influence and thought leadership is further evident in her membership of UKELA’s Climate Change & Energy Working Party.
A specialist at the intersection of energy and environmental law, Victor van Ahee at Van Doorne is a key contact to power, fuels, and commodities companies in their transition to renewable energy sources. An expert in the fast-moving and complex regulation surrounding carbon dioxide emissions, biofuels, and hydrogen, Van Ahee regularly assists clients in the design, development, and operation of renewable projects.
In the renewable energy space, Van Ahee is assisting major domestic renewable energy developer Sunrock in the development and permitting procedures for its new battery energy storage system. A further key client is green hydrogen player Protium Green Solutions, whom Van Ahee is advising across various legal aspects of their European decarbonisation business operations.
A key sustainability thought leader, Van Ahee is a member of the industry working group of the Dutch Association of Renewable Energy. Helping share green best practice, Van Ahee teaches on the energy transition within the training programme for municipal executives and speaks at leading industry events, including presenting a seminar on the energy transition programme for the Dutch Environmental Law Association.
A key advisor within King & Spalding LLP’s corporate, finance, and investments practice group, Cüneyt Andac weaves an ESG focus into his advice to capital management companies, asset managers, family offices, institutional investors, and banks.
Complementing his longstanding experience regarding investment law and real estate fund issues, Andac is an expert ESG counsel, assisting clients through compliance with the SFDR and EU Taxonomy, the structuring and launch of sustainability-aligned funds, and the development of ESG strategies. Key clients in this space include leading asset manager Schroder Real Estate Kapitalverwaltungsgesellschaft and investment firm AEW Invest.
Andac is keen to share his leading insight on ESG and sustainable development within the real estate community. Andac leads a collaboration with technical and IT service provider x.project and advises on how real estate funds can adopt ESG solutions including renewable energy assets and green leases in order to advance sustainability best practice. As a leading voice in the business community, Andac is an active member of the industry network SustainEstate and has delivered presentations on topics including solar power and ESG data collection in the real estate funds space.
Marcela Ánimas, who joined Nader, Hayaux & Goebel’s sustainable transition working group in 2024, has 25 years of experience in environmental and natural resources matters. Specifically, she often advises clients on sustainability, circular economy, ecological ordinance, environmental impact, and corporate environmental liability issues.
Ánimas is particularly known for her leading expertise in the water sector (regarding water availability, extraction rights and efficiency, recycling and reuse), having worked as external counsel for several public national and international institutions, advising on successful water governance practices.
Her thought leadership contributions have included the publications of several articles across Mexico and Spain on water sustainability, climate change, soil contamination, and the management of national parks. She also frequently has speaking engagements on these topics.
Leading Linklaters’ environmental and planning team, Markus Appel is a standout contact on impactful and critical matters concerning the energy and climate transition. Alongside a particular focus on permitting procedures for industrial and infrastructure projects, Appel assists major industrial and energy sector clients on environmental matters concerning M&A, joint ventures, and financings.
A key ongoing client is TenneT TSO, whom Appel is advising on major energy transition infrastructure projects. Helping upgrade the client’s electricity transmission network so as to deliver clean power more reliably and at greater scale, Appel is assisting on planning matters concerning the development of the SuedLink, SuedOstLink, and NordOstLink HVDC lines.
As part of the firm’s ESG journal, published alongside Der Betrieb, Appel co-authored insights on topics including climate protection, transition planning, and the impact of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Appel is a regular thought leader on environmental law topics, authoring legal commentaries on the German Nature Protection Act, on regulatory developments concerning the German Renewable Energy Act, and on the environmental protection implications of the Taxonomy regulation.
François April is a key figure in Linklaters’ energy and infrastructure practice, bringing over 20 years of experience in project finance matters, with a strong focus on renewable energy. His expertise spans the full spectrum of renewable projects, with a particular emphasis on high-capacity wind farms.
April is an active member of the firm’s green energy group and represents the firm in the Syndicat des Énergies Renouvelables, a leading association for renewable energy professionals in France. A recognised thought leader, he has contributed to key reports published by the firm on offshore wind in Europe and clean hydrogen strategies. April also recently led an ESG podcast discussion on the challenges surrounding infrastructure decarbonisation.
At Garrigues, Gaspar Atienza plays a key role in supporting clients to meet sustainable development goals. As a core focus of his client work, Atienza frequently advises sponsors and lenders on financing renewable energy, energy efficiency, and environmental infrastructure projects. Atienza also brings extensive expertise in the M&A and corporate services market, with a particular focus on the renewable energy sector.
In addition to his client work, Atienza is an active member of the firm’s ESG committee, helping make progress toward meeting its ESG strategy. He also contributes to the firm’s Sustainable Dialogues webinar series, which explores critical ESG issues affecting businesses.
A recognised thought leader, Atienza has authored articles on topics such as green bonds, sustainable tourism, and green finance, further cementing his position as an authority in the sustainability space.
Raquel Azevedo at PLMJ is an expert on ESG matters within her client work and internal engagement. Leveraging her vast experience across capital markets and corporate governance matters, Azevedo advises clients on the development of their sustainability regulations and governance frameworks, ensuring they align with the latest ESG standards.
Azevedo is also particularly active in the sustainable finance space, having recently been advised the issuers and lead arrangers in the public offering of green and sustainability-linked bonds by major corporates including REN, Greenvolt, and Impresa.
A prominent thought leader in the field, Azevedo co-authored insightful articles discussing sustainability topics, ranging from the role of green bonds in financing renewable energy to corporate sustainability due diligence. Additionally, Azevedo demonstrated her commitment to spreading awareness on sustainability-related topics by organising and hosting a conference discussing the role of blue bonds in financing ocean protection and sustainable investment.
A senior counsel in Linklater’s energy & infrastructure practice, Lauren Bachtel heads ups the firm’s ESG team, bringing a decade of experience in the ESG space and as former lawyer at the US Department of the Interior and American Wind Energy Association.
With her compliance and regulatory expertise, she assists clients with US federal and state ESG laws, including environmental justice and climate and carbon laws. In connection with energy and infrastructure project financings, she also advises on the application of the World Bank Environmental and Social Framework, IFC Performance Standards on Social & Environmental Sustainability, and Equator Principles, among other international standards and risk management systems.
Bachtel joined the firm in 2023 and has contributed heavily to legal updates and insights across energy and infrastructure as well as green transition and ESG topics. She has also conducted webinars and training sessions for US trade associations. In connection with Climate Week, she moderated a panel organised by the firm on the role of business leaders in transitioning to a sustainable future. Bachtel also chairs the American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy and Resources.
Founding partner of Lux Nova Partners, Tom Bainbridge is a recognised leader in the clean energy sector. With an over two-decade long track record in energy and district heating schemes, he continues to play a key role in shaping the heat market: Recently, he led the legal work for the UK Government’s Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP) and Green Heat Networks Fund (GHNF), delivering substantial public funding to support low-carbon heat networks. His experience spans landmark projects, including the first utility-scale wind farm in the Middle East and one of the world’s first carbon-financed biomass refueling projects.
Also beyond his legal work for clients, Bainbridge remains actively involved in advancing clean energy: He sits on the Board of the UK Emissions Trading Group, is a member of the Association for Decentralised Energy, and has served as chair of UKELA’s Climate Change & Energy Working Party and the Heat Trust. He has provided expert testimony before Parliamentary Select Committees and the National Audit Office on energy and environmental policy.
Bainbridge is also the founder of business consulting company Road from Rio, which provides strategic advice on net zero pathways.
A banking and capital markets expert, David Ballegeer leads Linklaters’ Belgian ESG practice and coordinates the team’s advice to corporates, sponsors, and financial institutions on ESG legislation, regulation, and sustainable finance products.
Ballegeer brings his expertise in sustainability-linked and green frameworks to project finance, acquisition finance, and bond and hybrid debt issuance matters, counting major domestic energy companies and corporates among his clients. A key repeat client is transmission system operator Elia Transmission Belgium, whom Ballageer advised on its €800m green notes issuance and separately on its €1.26bn sustainability-linked revolving credit facility.
In a landmark cross-border deal which will help augment clean energy capacity in New York, Ballegeer advised Elia Group regarding the €400m financing and acquisition of a 35.1% stake in renewable energy transmission and generation platform energyRe Giga.
Committed to advancing the dialogue in the sustainability space, Ballegeer regularly organises discussion platforms on pressing topics including nature protection and the circular economy. Ballegeer also makes a notable contribution to the firm’s ESG article series, providing insights on topics including CSRD, CSDDD, and sustainable finance.
With experience advising on the whole range of sustainability and ESG issues, Kristy Balsanek co-chairs DLA Piper’s ESG practice and assists domestic and international, private as well as public companies in their green transitions. Ongoing clients include Crocs regarding its ESG and sustainability disclosures, and multiple corporations, such as Baxter and Qualcomm, who seek advice on compliance with California’s new suite of climate-disclosure bills.
Balsanek also acts as chair of the firm’s ESG steering committee, supporting the integration of sustainability and ESG advisory services across the various practice areas and departments.
She regularly contributes to sustainability thought leadership via the firm’s bulletins, reports and other publications. Her recent speaking engagements have focused around climate change and human rights, as well as international ESG regulations.
Johannes Barbist at Binder Grösswang is recognised for his expertise in regulatory matters concerning environmental law and sustainability. He regularly advises clients on complex regulatory frameworks, including the EU Green Deal, supply chain sustainability obligations, and environmental standards, ensuring compliance with evolving ESG criteria.
An active speaker on sustainability-related legal issues, Barbist has delivered presentations on topics such as the EU Deforestation Regulation and frequently lectures on sustainability law. Barbist recently led a discussion on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive at a sustainability conference organised by the University of Innsbruck.
Pollination Law managing director Sarah Barker brings a leading track-record on sustainability-related corporate and investment governance issues, assisting corporates, investors, and government agencies in managing the ESG risks and climate-related exposures which emerge under corporate and securities law.
Leading the firm’s climate and sustainability risk governance team, Barker counts among her clients multiple ASX20 companies and major multinational banking and corporate clients. Barker’s team is trusted by leading sustainability-aligned clients on transformative matters, having advised United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative banking members on climate-related governance issues and having been appointed by the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures to advise on its flagship framework regarding the corporate assessment and disclosure of nature-related impacts.
In her role as teacher of the directors’ course at the Cambridge University Institute for Sustainability Leadership, Barker provides leading corporates with valuable insights into corporate governance matters across Singapore, Malaysia, and New Zealand. Helping shape the global discourse on climate governance strategies, she represents Australia in the Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative and serves as co-chair of the World Economic Forum’s Climate Governance Community of Experts.
Mark Barnett co-founded Foley Hoag’s energy and climate group almost two decades ago to support clients across the energy transition. He co-chairs the practice, acting for developers and financers of clean energy infrastructure, energy technology companies, venture investors, as well as nonprofits, bringing previous experience working for a ClimateTech company.
Barnett’s engagement extends to serving as pro bono counsel to Prime Coalition, having assisted the nonprofit with the development of its Early Climate Infrastructure program. He has also advised the Environmental Defense Fund and Ceres on clean energy policy and climate mitigation investment strategies.
Apart from his thought leadership on topics spanning renewable energy project finance, clean energy policy and impact investing, he also acts as a mentor for emerging cleantech ventures through organizations such as MassChallenge and Clean Tech Open. His recent speaking engagements include a webinar on maximizing the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act, and a panel on climate tech investing at the Babson Green Finance and ESG Investing Conference. He also contributes to the firm’s energy & climate newsletter Climate Law Matters.
Manuel Barros co-heads Carey’s environment group and is a part of the firm’s ESG team. He often advises clients on environmental impact assessments, environmental audits, and environmental litigation. He also regularly assists with the environmental aspects of renewable energy projects and in matters related to waste and water management.
Since 2012, Barros has been a professor in environmental law at the Universidad Catolica del Chile, and over the past few years he has also been teaching environmental law at Universidad Finis Terrae and Universidad del Desarrollo. Recent examples of his published thought leadership include a discussion of mining in Chile in light of sustainable development goals and the circular economy, and a co-authored article about the role of the Ministry of Environment and Ministry Council of Sustainability.
Barros is currently a member of the Sustainability Committee of AMCHAM (Chilean and North America Chamber of Commerce). In 2020, he was appointed by the Ministry of Environment as a member of the Joint Public Advisory Committee of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation between Chile and Canada for the term 2020-2023.
