From Singapore, Morrison Foerster’s Per Lindberg acts on landmark and market-leading sustainable energy and infrastructure projects. He is a leading advisor to investors on energy transition transactions, regularly acting on pathfinding mandates which enable the development of wind, solar, storage, e-methanol and renewable gas projects across Asian and global emerging economies.
Linberg brings vital expertise at the cutting-edge of energy transition technologies and is currently advising on transactions concerning renewable energy certificates, carbon capture and sequestration projects, and conservation and carbon sink financing. As a thought leader in this space, he led a webinar into how the voluntary carbon credit market can support the corporate path to carbon neutrality, speaking alongside industry experts from environmental nonprofit The Nature Conservancy, carbon standards body Verra, and natural investment manager New Forests.
Supporting its regional thought leadership offering, Lindberg contributed to the firm’s Asia Funds ESG Survey, which explored investors’ continued determination to support portfolio companies in creating green value. Elsewhere, he shared insights on how the extra-territorial impact of sustainability regulation is a key driver for green change among portfolio companies.
Heading the sustainable business group at Advokatfirman Lindahl KB, environmental law expert Johanna Lindqvist makes a leading commitment to green and sustainable mandates across industry sectors. An expert in environmental permitting, due diligence, and remediation, Lindqvist regularly advises on sustainable development, conscious land and water use, and green regulation. A key client is municipal utility Uddevalla Energi, whom Lindqvist advises on CSRD reporting responsibilities, regulatory scope, and impact measurement.
As part of the firm’s contribution to the University of Oxford’s Climate Policy Monitor, Lindqvist assisted in mapping and reporting on Swedish climate-related disclosure, transition planning, and public procurement obligations. Lindqvist regularly engages with leading sustainability ventures, engaging with the American Bar Association’s responsible contracting project and serving as a member of the Network for Sustainable Business.
Lindqvist is a notable thought leader on sustainability topics, regularly authoring articles for Blendow Lexnova on topics including environmental assessments, water use, and sustainability due diligence. Highly sought-after for her sustainability regulatory expertise, Lindqvist sat on the expert panel on corporate sustainability reporting at the Association of Human Rights Institute’s 2024 conference.
With over 30 years’ experience, global head of Ropes & Gray LLP’s ESG, CSR and Business and Human Rights Practice, Michael Littenberg, is a recognized leader in sustainability, ESG, and corporate social responsibility matters. He advises public and private companies, investment firms, and nonprofits on developing and implementing ESG strategies, managing disclosures, and navigating regulatory requirements.
Beyond his legal practice, Littenberg actively contributes to shaping the broader ESG landscape through his involvement in industry groups and thought leadership. He has been actively involved in the development of climate disclosure legislation in several jurisdictions. As an advisor to the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and other key ESG initiatives, he has helped to set standards and best practices in corporate sustainability reporting.
Littenberg also frequently speaks at conferences, and is a prolific author and commentator on emerging ESG issues and sustainability-related regulations.
Heading the capital markets team at Horten, Lise Lotte Hjerrild is a key contact on sustainability-focused matters across M&A, corporate matters, and ESG compliance. Hjerrild regularly acts for sustainability-conscious companies on impactful deals within the space, including advising impact investor Convent Capital on its investment into sustainable agtech player FarmDroid.
In a further landmark deal, Hjerrild advised responsible infrastructure investment fund Infranode on its inaugural investment in the biogas market, acquiring 49% of the Thorsø and Foersom biogas plants from developer Renegas. The deal supports the operation and future expansion of the projects, which serve as an important example of privately funded and operated biogas assets.
Alongside helping direct the firm’s internal decarbonisation agenda, Hjerrild is a key voice within its Discover ESG webinar series and spoke at its event on integrating ESG within corporate strategy. Hjerrild also actively speaks within the legal and business communities, including at Relevent’s Sustainability in Boards and Executive Management conference and at International Bar Association panels on how institutional investors can drive ESG matters and on how to deal with ESG within private M&A deals.
Pairing investment funds expertise with an acute knowledge of sustainability best practice and regulatory requirements, Victor Louvet at Linklaters is a key partner to major global funds and investors on the structuring and establishment of impact and ESG funds.
A key client is sustainable development impact investment fund responAbility Investments, whom Louvet assisted in the establishment and fundraising of its article 9 SFDR climate fund. The $500m fund will support companies across Asia engaged in climate finance and the delivery of clean energy and environmental services.
In the renewable energy space, Louvet is acting for Aquila Capital regarding the set-up of its AC One Planet ELTIF, which will target investments in renewable energy and infrastructure assets. Within the mandate, Louvet assisted in navigating legal and regulatory requirements while meeting the SFDR disclosures applicable for an article 9 fund.
A notable thought leader in the sustainability and responsible investment space, Louvet regularly engages with industry association LuxFLAG, speaking at its annual Sustainable Investment Week and partnering with the organisation to co-host seminars on sustainable investment regulation.
Renewable energy expert Natasha Luther-Jones is international head of sustainability and ESG at DLA Piper has over 20 years’ experience in assisting domestic and international clients on transactional, development, construction, and operational mandates concerning energy transition projects.
Luther-Jones played a leading role in developing the firm’s international corporate PPA practice, which assists major companies such as H&M in procuring virtual and physical green power to underpin their sustainability objectives. Leveraging this experience, she led on the firm’s own cPPA with NextEnergy, which serves as a key and landmark pillar for its internal decarbonisation journey.
Elsewhere, Luther-Jones plays a key role within the firm’s green energy thought leadership offering, leading its global renewable energy and corporate PPA global guides while also hosting its climate transition podcast.
Attesting to her market-leading reputation on renewable power transactions, Luther-Jones spoke in 2024 on a panel at Solar Finance & investment Europe on realising the potential of the European PPA market, at the Women Powering Smart Energy forum on innovation in PPAs, and on a panel at client Nord/LB’s European Energy seminar on offtake optimisation.
At Morrison & Foerster, Susan Mac Cormac is a prominent figure in sustainability and impact investing, and co-chairs the ESG + Sustainability and Social Enterprise + Impact Investing practices. She advises companies and investors on ESG matters, corporate governance, and innovative financing structures for clean technology and renewable energy projects. Her pioneering work includes advising on the creation of the Sustainability Principles Objectives (SPO) Framework, a first-of-its-kind ESG framework, in partnership with eco-friendly sneakers maker Allbirds.
Beyond her legal work, Mac Cormac is actively engaged in shaping the sustainability landscape. She serves on the boards of the Ceres President’s Council and the Stanford Global Projects Center, contributing her expertise to drive sustainable business initiatives. She also shares her knowledge through teaching engagements at institutions like UC Berkeley and Stanford.
A recognized thought leader, Mac Cormac frequently speaks and publishes on ESG, impact investing, and corporate responsibility. Her insights are featured in both legal updates and major media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg Law.
As sustainability champion at Mewburn Ellis, leading patent attorney Eleanor Maciver makes a marked contribution to the firm’s green transition journey, leading its environmental strategy and coordinating staff activity within its sustainability collaboration group. She is a thought leader on best practices surrounding law firms’ decarbonisation journeys, having written insights for the Legal Sustainability Alliance on the internal measures which best enable the delivery of its sustainability ambitions.
In her legal practice, Maciver supports emerging technology players in building their green products, specialising in how IP can be leveraged in the sustainable chemical and material inventions space to help create and scale-up sustainable polymers, nature-based materials, plant-based foods, battery materials, sustainable refrigerants, and carbon capture and storage.
As part of this expertise, Maciver coordinated the firm’s 2023 Green Channel report, which explored key trends and takeaways from the UK’s green IP pathways. As a thought leader in the cleantech and IP spaces, she has authored insights into topics including the European Patent Office’s cleantech commercialisation and financing report and delivered a green IP masterclass for the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Diederik Maessen at Van Doorne is a key contact on M&A, project, and contracting work concerning transition assets. As a sought-after advisor to leading domestic and multi-national energy companies, Maessen is regularly entrusted to advise on significant and high-value hydrogen, renewable energy, and carbon capture and storage projects.
A key client is energy network operator Gasunie, whom Maessen is assisting in building a national network to transport hydrogen. Having provided long-term advice on the development of the landmark project, Maessen is currently assisting in drafting the commercial agreements regarding the hydrogen transport.
Maessen is also assisting the project consortium in the development of the landmark CO2 next liquid carbon dioxide import terminal, which will receive CO2 from the Porthos CCS project and permanently store it offshore.
Maessen is a notable thought leader within industry discussions, having co-hosted the Dutch Association of Legal Counsels’ roundtable on ESG and sustainability and having chaired the Dutch Energy Transition Forums roundtable on heat developments. Alongside the Dutch Association for Sustainable Energy, Maessen hosted a webinar on the impact of CO2-reduction legislation for market parties.
Offering deep expertise on the structuring, establishment, and operation of investment funds, Martin Mager at Linklaters is highly knowledgeable on a diversity of matters across green energy and impact investments.
For HSBC Asset Management, Mager assisted in the fundraising of its Impact Basked I fund-of-funds and in the establishment of its Impact Basket II fund. The article 9 SFDR-aligned funds will allow institutional investors to support the growth of green private equity, infrastructure, and impact assets.
A key client is impact fund BlueEarth Climate Growth Fund, which pursues equity investments in growth-stage climate-focused companies. Mager provided legal, tax, and ESG advice on the structuring, set-up, and fundraising of the article 9 fund, which will invest in companies helping promote the net zero transition, climate resilience, and circular economy across North America and Europe.
Helping lead the conversation regarding Luxembourg’s green legal landscape, Mager is an active member of the climate measurement and reporting working group at the Luxembourg Sustainable Finance Initiative and a recognised thought leader on topics including the regulatory guidelines of using ESG- and sustainability-related terms within funds’ names.
At Seyfarth Shaw LLP, Ameena Y. Majid was appointed as the firm’s first impact & sustainability partner, and founded and co-chairs the firm’s impact & ESG group. Bringing her track record in employee benefits and executive compensation, she advises companies on integrating sustainable practices into their business operations, focusing on human rights, environmental impacts, and governance issues. Her practice includes assisting clients with ESG risk assessments, compliance with global standards, and navigating evolving regulations to enhance their sustainability performance.
Majid is also a driving force for internal change, committed to advancing the integration of sustainable practices within the firm’s operations, and wider community engagement. She serves on multiple advisory boards and committees, where she helps shape industry standards and best practices in sustainability, including her board membership at Able Made, a public benefit corporation and sustainable fashion brand.
Actively involved in advancing the ESG agenda through thought leadership, education, and advocacy, Majid regularly speaks at conferences, in webinars, and podcasts, and contributes to publications on navigating the ESG landscape and other sustainability related topics.
Head of ESG and sustainability, Leah Malone at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP advises clients on navigating complex ESG regulatory requirements and integrating sustainability principles into their business strategies, particularly in the context of mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings, and corporate governance. Her clients include prominent names such as Blackrock, Mars, Cisco, and Apollo Global Management.
Malone’s thought leadership on these subjects is evident in her media interviews with Bloomberg Law, Reuters, Wall Street Journal, InvestmentNews, Politico and others. She regularly shares her expertise in webinars, and has been a speaker and moderator at conferences including the National Association for Corporate Directors’ Summit, the Society for Corporate Governance’s National Conference, Stanford’s Directors’ College, and Corporate Board Member’s Annual Boardroom Summit. Her recent contributions to publications include an article published by the Harvard Law School Forum detailing recent key decisions shaping the ESG landscape, a Thomson Reuters Westlaw article on SEC Final Climate Disclosure Rules, and commentary on the CSDDD published in Law360.
Sustainability, ESG, and corporate law expert Hanna-Mari Manninen heads the strategic advisory team at Dittmar & Indrenius, bringing an acute focus on the on the integration of green solutions within corporate strategy. Within this work, Manninen leads the team in helping clients across various industry sectors understand the intersection of sustainability with national and EU law and regulation.
Placing a key emphasis on EU ESG regulations – including the CSRD, CSDDD, SFDR, and green claims suite – Manninen helps major clients develop compliance frameworks, understand material risks, and align their operations with regulatory best practice. In this sphere, Manninen helped train the Chemical Industry Federaiton of Finland on sustainability law and regulation, value creation, and green business opportunities.
Helping foster the next generation of sustainability leadership, Manninen regularly partners with the University of Helsinki on pressing green matters, including hosting a course on environmental responsibility issues within ESG. Manninen is also a board member at the university student union’s sustainability-focused real estate asset management body, which is seeking to promote a community-owned and sustainability-focused science and finance sector within Helsinki.
Xavier Marchand at UGGC Avocats is an expert in the renewable energy sector, regularly advising clients on the structuring and implementation of complex projects across the biogas, hydrogen, and onshore wind industries. Marchand is also highly regarded for his expertise in carbon compensation, with a particular focus on the European Union’s Emissions Trading System. Beyond his work regarding the energy transition, Marchand is actively involved in circular economy initiatives, particularly in the field of waste recovery.
Internally, Marchand plays a key role within the firm’s green team, contributing extensively to its sustainability strategy. Externally, he serves as vice-president of Biogaz Vallée, an innovative network dedicated to fostering the development of the biogas industry in France. Marchand is also a frequent participant in sustainability-focused conferences, including Neutrality, a national forum addressing voluntary contributions to carbon neutrality.
A sustainability ambassador at HFW, Jason Marett specialises in sustainable finance matters. Possessing deep experience in the space, Marett has advised UN-backed funds on major sustainable finance programmes and provides counsel to major commodity clients on a range of issues, including EU Deforestation Regulation obligations.
Beyond client work, Marett delivered the firm’s global training module on sustainable finance and has taught the sustainable finance module for the LLM course at Fribourg University since 2021. A prominent thought leader, Marett regularly publishes on sustainable finance topics, particularly in relation to greenwashing risks, the sustainability-linked lending market, and Swiss sustainability regulations.
José María de Paz leads Pérez-Llorca’s ESG advisory practice and has a deep understanding of the impact of current legal frameworks on climate change management, sustainable finance, and the energy transition. De Paz regularly advises major clients on sustainable strategies and compliance frameworks, offering legal counsel on the application of ESG criteria with a focus on both preventive and corrective measures to support sustainable business operations.
Notably, de Paz coordinated the firm’s publication on Legal Studies on Sustainability, Climate Change, and ESG Criteria in Spain and the EU, which serves as a seminal work in the Spanish market. De Paz has also authored pieces including a legal briefing on the European Court of Human Rights’ approach to climate change litigation and an article discussing the effects of climate change on corporate governance regimes impacting Spanish companies.
João Marques Mendes heads PLMJ’s energy and natural resources team and specialises in renewable energy mandates, advising clients on complex regulatory matters and in the development and operation of renewable energy projects and infrastructure. Additionally, Mendes plays a key role in assisting clients with the transition to more sustainable operations, including advising Galp on the decarbonisation of the Sines refinery, one of the largest refineries in the Iberian peninsula.
Dedicated to keeping clients up-to-date with recent developments, Mendes co-organised a client conference on the voluntary carbon market and held presentations on climate change, climate litigation, and wider environmental issues.
Externally, Mendes is a member of the Environment and Energy Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce, where he collaborates with other experts to develop policies in environmental and energy law. Additionally, he is the co-coordinator of the postgraduate course in energy law, organised by the law faculty of the Universidade de Lisboa.
A banking and finance specialist, Vanessa Marquette at Loyens & Loeff brings a notable specialism in transactional and regulatory finance matters, focusing her practice on sustainable finance and capital markets landscapes.
Counting leading corporates and financial institutions among her clients, Marquette is an expert on EU regulation and their application to ESG-related financial products, assisting across green finance conditions and sustainable finance disclosures. In the corporate space, Marquette is an expert on directors’ duties, the applicability of ESG requirements, and the scope of emerging sustainability regulation. Marquette is also highly sought-after by impact-focused funds, regularly serving as ESG counsel within this space.
Alongside insights into topics including the green bonds landscape and EU sustainability regulation, Marquette brings a key thought leadership offering within the insurance and risk industries. Marquette spoke on the financial sector’s response to biodiversity loss at the RiskMinds International conference, co-authored an academic article on how eco-labels and green bonds can help green the insurance industry, and is a member of the ESG committee of reinsurance company SCOR.
Laurence Martinez-Bellet, a partner at Watson Farley & Williams LLP, is recognised for her broad expertise in project and asset finance matters within the energy and infrastructure sectors, with a particular focus on the maritime industry. She is frequently involved in pioneering transactions, including advising on the structuring and financing of one of France’s first floating offshore wind farms.
In the offshore space, Martinez-Bellet is an active member of the French Maritime Law Association and the Floating Offshore Wind Committee. Martinez-Bellet also participates in the energy industry organisations Syndicat des Énergies Renouvelables, France Renouvelables, France Hydrogène, and the Franco-German Office for Energy Transition.
José Eduardo Martins at Abreu Advogados brings particular knowhow on the energy transition and ESG. With longstanding expertise across climate change and ESG matters, Martins advises national and international clients on their climate-related projects, specialising in crafting tailored decarbonisation strategies and legal frameworks.
Standing out for his contribution to the development of climate-related legal frameworks in developing countries, Martins acts as general counsel in the elaboration of the Roadmap for Carbon Sustainability in São Tomé and Principe.
A recognised thought leader on sustainability matters, Martins recently participated on conferences and webinars on topics ranging from the voluntary carbon market in Portugal to sustainability governance. Since 2021, Martins has chaired the Environment and Energy Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce Portugal.
