Renewable energy expert Thomas Warren heads up Eversheds Sutherland’s clean energy projects practice. His experience ranges across the whole spectrum of clean energy projects, renewable procurement and decarbonisation strategies, with additional expertise in other ESG and sustainability-related matters such as electric vehicle charging and energy management software and solutions.
Warren also champions sustainability at the firm itself. He leads the firm’s US multidisciplinary sustainability committee, which is dedicated to implementing environmentally friendly business practices, most recently achieving the SBTi-verification of the firm’s science-based net-zero target by 2040.
Keeping clients updated and educated on the latest green transition topics, Warren regularly contributes to the firm’s news bulletins, guides and reports, and recently spoke about navigating power purchase agreements in the firm’s energy transition webinar series.
At Osborne Clarke, James Watson serves as head of decarbonisation, leading an international team in assisting clients across ESG law and net zero strategies to help create a technology-driven, sustainable, and decarbonised economy. Bringing clients over 20 years’ experience in renewable energy transactions, he is a longstanding advisor to investors, funds, banks, and developers on development, transactional, and finance mandates in the renewable energy, battery storage, hydrogen, bio-energy, and cleantech spaces.
Also serving as international co-head of ESG, Watson helps clients shape and implement their ESG strategies, advising on horizon scanning, reporting obligations, and risk management. He complements this by conducting training sessions for legal and business teams on topics including greenwashing and product labelling, sustainability due diligence, and the voluntary carbon markets.
Supporting the firm’s thought leadership output in this space, Watson takes a leading position within the firm’s ESG Knowledge Update series and was a key speaker in its Decarbonisation Week webinar programme, which provided expert overviews concerning sustainable innovation, climate finance, and greenwashing risk.
Michael Watson heads up Pinsent Masons’ climate and sustainability advisory practice, playing a pivotal role in guiding a dedicated team towards advancing the firm’s comprehensive ESG initiatives. Overseeing the curation of the firm’s ESG-focused products and services, his responsibilities include spearheading the firm-wide learning and development agenda on ESG matters, providing expert guidance on achieving net zero and sustainability targets, and ensuring that strategic initiatives are aligned with the most current climate and sustainability standards. Watson has also been a driving force in helping the firm significantly enhance and expand its impact investment practice and credentials.
In addition to his internal responsibilities, Watson is a well-regarded commentator on sustainability issues. He has provided expert insights on the sustainability disclosure standards published by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), further underscoring his role as a key voice in the ongoing dialogue about effective sustainability practices and reporting standards.
Heading the renewable energy team at Bech-Bruun, Johan Weihe is highly sought-after among major domestic energy companies on regulatory, corporate, and commercial matters across the green power landscape.
Weihe maintains a leading practice among domestic waste and energy companies concerning energy law and regulation. Key clients including Argo, whom Weihe assisted in corporate reorganisation and project development matters concerning its waste-to-energy portfolio, and ARC, whom Weihe advised on the establishment of its clean waste incineration plant. Weihe complements this expertise with a deep competency concerning commercial and project contracts in the offshore wind, carbon capture and storage, and district heating spaces.
Utilising his legal expertise to help boost green knowledge across Denmark, Weihe is a founding member of leading climate think tank CONCITO, assists Circular Denmark in its advocacy on behalf of municipal waste companies, and sits on the special committee for climate within the Association of Danish Law Firms. Weihe is also a notable thought leader, having authored chapters on topics including climate regulation and commercial opportunities in the hydrogen sector.
From Singapore, Lee Weilin heads up Rajah Tann’s sustainability practice group with a long track record advising clients on sustainability-related matters across several industries. She often assists with green financing projects, ESG due diligence, and the creation of carbon credits. Standing out for her experience in the sustainable finance space, she has acted in market-leading matters such as the first sustainability-linked loan in Singapore’s energy sector, and one of the largest bilateral sustainability-linked loans in Singapore’s real estate sector to date.
Weilin is an EFFAS certified ESG analyst. Additionally, she demonstrates her expertise in the sustainability sector by featuring in publications such as Asian Legal Business, where she recently shared her perspective on the impact of ESG in the changing regulatory and legal landscape across Asian jurisdictions.
An expert in energy regulation and project matters, Martin Weitenberg at Eversheds Sutherland assists leading global clients in commercial and contractual agreements, M&A, and project development matters across the renewable energy landscape.
An expert in the power purchase agreement space, Weitenberg assisted leading global chemical group LyondellBasell in negotiating a 208 MW power purchase agreement, securing electricity from the Bartow solar farm. In a cross-border mandate, Weitenberg also acted for Brookfield Asset Management on the European aspects of its PPA partnership with Microsoft, through which the client will deliver 10.5 GW of additional renewable energy capacity across the US and Europe.
A standout thought leader on energy transition matters, Weitenberg regularly speaks at conferences concerning green energy, ESG, and sustainability. Weitenberg also lends his voice to help develop the next generation of sustainability professionals, serving as a guest lecturer on energy supply agreements at the Technische Universität Berlin.
Stefanie Werinos leads PHH Rechtsanwält:innen GmbH’s public and energy law team and brings 15 years of experience in environmental law, offering a particular specialism in advising leading clients on planning and approval procedures for power and infrastructure projects.
Demonstrating her commitment to the sector beyond her legal practice, Werinos founded the Women in the Environment network, which connects and empowers women working across environment, law, and technology. Werinos takes an active role within the network’s regular hosting of events, ranging from networking sessions to tours of environmentally focused companies.
Heading the green team at Holla Legal & Tax, Harald Wiersema is regularly entrusted by leading Dutch companies and government bodies on environmental and energy law matters concerning renewable power, electricity, heat, and water assets.
Wiersema is a key contact among leading Dutch renewable energy development companies, assisting across project development matters and permitting and zoning procedures and appeals. For longstanding client TPSolar and its sister company TPStorage, which are active in the development of PV and BESS assets, Wiersema is advising on environmental, permitting, land use, and grid connection matters in relation to the realisation of a 244 MW portfolio.
A standout figure in academic discourse across the sustainability landscape, Wiersema lectures at VU Amsterdam on nature conservation law and has co-authored legal insights on topics including the status of battery storage within environmental law and municipal-level green energy law and regulation. Wiersema is also active in industry sustainability discussion, acting as a member of the legal working group at trade association Holland Solar while also serving as chair of the board of the Green Business Club Eindhoven.
An expert in energy law and regulation, Torsten Wielsch at Deloitte Legal Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH focuses his practice on the transition of Germany’s conventional utilities into renewable energy-focused companies. Heading the firm’s ESG team, Wielsch brings expertise across contractual, strategic, and contentious mandates concerning renewable energy, green fuels, and the phase-out of hydrocarbons.
In the green fuels space, Wielsch acted for a leading producer in developing a standard contract for the supply of hydrogen and for the establishment of a hydrogen fuelling network for public transport. Wielsch also supports hydrogen network operators regarding financing and project development matters. Beyond this expertise, Wielsch is assisting major energy companies in the development of wind and solar assets, in the negotiation of power purchase agreements, and in corporate strategy matters.
Wielsch regularly shares incisive insights into the energy law landscape, with a particular focus on the hydrogen core network and the legal conditions necessary to ramp-up the hydrogen economy. Wielsch is also an expert on legal and scientific matters concerning the electricity market, helping develop legal tools which map market design and facilitate the use of battery storage systems.
Pollination Law founder and CEO Martijn Wilder brings over twenty years’ experience in Australian and global climate law, serving as an expert voice on legal, policy, and financing mechanisms which support climate change mitigation, biodiversity and conservation, emissions trading, and the net zero transition. He is assisting the government of Timor-Leste regarding its national framework climate change law and advising the government of Fiji on the operationalisation of carbon markets within its climate change act.
Wilder is a key partner to sustainability-focused industry bodies, serving as chair and governing board member of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership, which works to accelerate and catalyse the deployment of clean energy solutions, and as a member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, which provides advice to preserve Australia’s land, water, and biodiversity.
Supporting the development of sustainability knowledge in the legal and business communities, Wilder is an adjunct professor of international climate change law at the Australian National University and speaks at the Macquarie Business School session on climate change and the steps necessary to finance Australia’s green energy transition.
Possessing a wealth of experience in the banking and finance sector, Ida Marie Windrup at is an expert on regulatory and transactional matters concerning green and sustainability-linked finance.
Windrup is a leading expert on project financings concerning green infrastructure and the energy transition. A key sponsor-side client is Ventyr, the winning bidder of Norway’s inaugural offshore wind auction, whom Widstrup is assisting in its contemplated €4bn+ project financing. On the lender side, Windrup assisted DNB Bank on the €3.5bn sustainability-linked revolving financing to software company Visma, which will support the borrower in implementing ambitious ESG-linked KPIs.
Helping develop effective solutions to sustainability challenges, Windrup provides pro bono advice to leading financial institutions, including DNB Bank, to help tailor the LMA sustainability-linked riders to their businesses. Windrup also offers major lenders seminars on green and sustainability-linked financings and assistance in understanding regulatory responsibilities.
Windrup is a key figure within the firm’s thought leadership output, co-arranging its forum on project financing the energy transition, which attracted leading developers, sponsors, suppliers, and credit providers to discuss challenges in securing financing for green projects.
Bringing a background in EU and competition law to pressing energy regulatory matters, Maarten de Wit at AKD is a key advisor to energy and power developers and consumers across corporate, project, and contentious matters in the wind, solar, heat, and hydrogen sectors.
In a large-scale and high-value mandate, De Wit is assisting leading global renewable energy investor Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners in its competitive bid to develop, construct, and operate a 2 GW wind farm and 50 MW floating solar plant in the IJmuiden Ver zone. A further key client is district heating grid developer Eteck, whom de Wit is advising on concession and project development matters regarding its heat grid portfolio.
De Wit is highly sought-after for his insights across the energy transition, authoring articles on topics including grid capacity challenges and their competition law implications. Offering a leading contribution within academic discourse, De Wit teaches on topics including hydrogen regulation within the Climate Change and Energy Transition masters at VU Amsterdam and gives guest lectures for the masters in energy law at the University of Groningen.
Simon Witney is a senior consultant and chair of Travers Smith LLP’s ESG and impact group, with over 25 years of experience in sustainable finance, corporate governance, and private markets. He has advised private equity and venture capital firms, as well as the UK Government, on complex regulatory, transactional, and fund formation matters.
Throughout his career, Witney has been a prominent writer and speaker on company law, corporate governance, and ESG-related issues, including in the private equity space. His contributions include co-leading the firm’s internal ESG and Sustainable Finance Academy and helping to shape important ESG policies. He is a member of the BVCA’s Accounting, Reporting and Governance Committee, the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association (UKSIF) Policy Committee, and the ESG Committee of the City of London Law Society (CLLS). In addition, he serves on Invest Europe’s taskforces for the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
Heading the ESG team at BLOMSTEIN Rechtsanwälte, Florian Wolf is an important advisor to energy and industrial sector clients on ESG and sustainability matters surrounding international trade, the supply chain act, competition law, and the EU Deforestation Regulation.
A key client is Dutch renewables-powered ultra-rapid EV charging network operator Fastned. Helping promote the expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, Wolf is representing the client in review proceedings regarding the award of contracts for the construction, maintenance, and operation of fast-charging stations at rest stops along German federal highways. Complementing this expertise, Wolf also assists clients through ESG due diligence processes as well as understanding their exposure to deforestation and supply chain regulation.
Wolf is a notable thought leader in the sustainability space. As a leading voice within the legal community, Wolf has served on panels which discuss ESG in trade and competition law and the role of ESG in offset deals. Helping advance the legal dialogue on sustainability, Wolf co-authored an upcoming publication on the interplay between the German Supply Chain Act and the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive with public procurement rules.
An expert on environmental and planning law matters, Julia Wulff at Taylor Wessing is an indispensable advisor to major European project developers on the realisation of renewables, storage, and hydrogen assets.
In the green energy space, a key client is East Energy, whom Wulff is advising on the planning and permitting procedure regarding a 200 MW aggregate, solar, hydrogen, and district heating project in Brandenburg. Helping the client to develop a biodiversity-friendly PV plant, Wulff assisted in establishing a zoning plan which is aligned with nature conservation and species protection best practice.
Wulff is a standout thought leader in the sustainability space, regularly speaking at events led by key stakeholders including the Federal Environment Agency, Ministry of Environment, and Society for Environmental Law. Helping communicate key insights, industry developments, and legal changes with clients and interested parties, Wulff publishes a weekly renewables-focused newsletter. Wulff also takes on a key role within the firm’s thought leadership engagement, having initiated its membership within the German Energy Storage Association and participating therein through meetings and commentaries on environmental and planning law frameworks.
Julie Wynne at MLL Legal advises individuals and charities on structuring projects with a positive social and environmental impact, including embedding ESG considerations into governance and operations.
Wynne sits on the board of Earthworm Foundation, an impact-driven NGO that collaborates with businesses to address social and environmental challenges in supply chains. A key figure in the Swiss sustainability landscape, Wynne was also one of the three founding members of B Lab Switzerland, the organisation responsible for granting B-Corp certifications.
Andreas Zahradnik co-founded DORDA Rechtsanwälte GmbH’s sustainability group and is recognised for his expertise in the ESG space. Zahradnik focuses his practice on the intersection of ESG principles with the banking and capital markets space, with sustainable finance as his primary area of specialisation. Alongside an active practice in the thematic debt capital markets space, wherein he serves as an expert advisor on green bond regulation, Zahradnik is also adept at helping clients navigate the EU Taxonomy and SFDR.
Beyond client work, Zahradnik leads the firm’s internal sustainability initiatives, heading a dedicated working group tasked with enhancing the firm’s environmental performance. A recognised thought leader, Zahradnik is committed to championing sustainability and corporate responsibility within the legal and business communities.
