Sung-Hyui Park at Bates Wells is a key contact on innovative and purpose-focused sustainability-related financings and impact investments. Alongside an emphasis on supporting corporates, investors, and lenders integrate sustainability considerations within their financings, Park also brings an acute awareness of the ESG-related legal and commercial challenges impacting the charities and not-for-profit spaces.
Regularly acting for development finance institutions, institutional impact investors, social banks, and registered charities, Park assists in negotiating green and sustainability-linked loans, blended finance structures, climate-linked impact investments, and innovative ESG-related funding mechanisms.
Seeking to boost equality and understanding within the impact investment space, Park initiated and co-leads the Equalising Deal Terms Project. As part of its aim to support funders and funding recipients in developing fairer practices in investment processes, the project has produced principles that allow social investors acknowledge and address some key causes of imbalanced impact investing relationships.
Leading Irwin Mitchell’s planning and environment team, Claire Petricca-Riding assists clients across environmental due diligence and biodiversity matters, waste and energy projects, and nature restoration programmes.
For environmental remediation and recovery company Rural Arising, Petricca-Riding is advising on planning and environmental issues regarding nature restoration schemes, supporting the client in the remediation of prior landfill sites and construction of nature parks. Petricca-Riding also brings expertise regarding emerging environmental and sustainability regulation, including the UK and EU emissions trading regimes.
Petricca-Riding is a key voice within the legal sector on green matters, serving as part of the Law Society drafting group for its practice note on conveyancing and climate risk and as a co-convener of the UK Environmental Law Association’s planning and sustainability working party. Leveraging her real estate sector expertise, Petricca-Riding spoke at UKREIiiF on sustainability and natural capital markets matters and hosted a summit on brownfield regeneration at a housing sector conference.
An expert on the green transition of the energy and mobility sectors, Chris Pritchett at Shoosmiths LLP regularly acts for developers, contractors, and asset owners on renewable energy generation and storage matters.
A key contact is infrastructure investor Liberty Global, whom Pritchett assisted on M&A, grid connection, contracts for difference, planning, and real estate matters in its acquisition of the 49 MW Rag Lane solar project. Pritchett also brings notable expertise on renewable energy certificate trading and commercial matters concerning electric vehicle infrastructure.
A notable speaker in the renewable energy space, Pritchett has participated in conferences and panels discussing the solar power, storage, and grid sectors. Pritchett also serves as chair of the Safety and Sustainability working group of the Electricity Storage Network, sits on the board of the West Midlands Combined Authority’s Energy Capital group, and is a climate council member of industry body TechUK.
Heading the ESG practice at Macfarlanes LLP, Rachel Richardson is highly sought-after among funds and asset management clients regarding sustainability reporting and disclosure requirements as well as fund naming and anti-greenwashing rules. Richardson also brings a focus on corporate sustainability and purpose, leading the firm’s advice on B-Corp accreditation.
A core area of focus is TCFD obligations, wherein Richardson assists in interpreting FCA requirements and navigating reporting frameworks. Richardson is also well-versed in the sustainable investments space, assisting clients in investment strategy mandates and in drafting EU SFDR and UK SDR regulatory disclosures
Richardson is notable for her thought leadership on topics including the EU omnibus proposals and the ESMA ESG fund naming guidelines. Richardson also collaborated with the UN PRI and the Alternative Credit Counsel to develop a responsible investment due diligence questionnaire for private debt investors.
Bringing deep waste industry expertise to her role as head of Freeths LLP’s sustainability team, Kirstin Roberts focuses her practice on the intersection between corporate sustainability objectives and the reduction, reuse, and recycling of materials. Roberts complements her experience in supporting clients to manage, divert, and utilise waste with a growing practice regarding natural capital and water neutrality.
Roberts plays a key role within the firm’s sustainability initiatives, serving as a member of its responsible business committee, through which she helps coordinate its responsible business reports. Roberts also chairs the firm’s green group steering committee, which works to empower sustainability champions internally and simplify the adoption of green choices and practices for all staff.
Roberts is also a notable thought leader, authoring guidance into topics including sustainability-focused waste regulatory reforms and corporate carbon reduction and leading training on how industry sectors can leverage waste improvements to bolster their green credentials.
A leading authority on the decarbonisation of the shipping sector, Alessio Sbraga at HFW is highly sought-after in the maritime space on matters concerning greenhouse gas emissions, sustainable fuels, emissions trading, and ESG regulation.
A key client is 123Carbon, which hosts a platform that facilitates the issuance, management, and sale of verified carbon insets between energy suppliers and cargo owners. Sbraga is advising the client on the development and expansion of carbon insetting products.
Sbraga served on longstanding client BIMCO’s carbon intensity working group and drafting sub-committee, supporting the organisation in developing new standard contractual clauses which help shipping sector players meet the requirements of the FuelEU Maritime regulation. The mandate is key in ensuring the maritime industry adopts effective tools to help achieve its decarbonisation objectives.
Phil Spyropoulos at Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP is a key contact among financial services companies and major multinationals on the implementation of ESG, sustainability, and responsible business regulatory requirements and best practices.
Highly sought-after among leading multinational financial services players, Spyropoulos is an expert in interpreting the application of the UK’s Sustainability Disclosure Regime and navigating its implications for disclosure and fund labelling. Spyropoulos also assists leading corporates in complying with CSRD reporting obligations, EUDR due diligence responsibilities, and EPR requirements.
Spyropoulos has played a key role in shaping the sustainability regulatory landscape, having served on the FCA’s Disclosures and Labels Advisory Group and as a delegate of The Investing and Savings Alliance, which helps develop ESG disclosure and labelling rules. A notable thought leader in the space, Spyropoulos’ engagements include chairing a webinar on the EU Omnibus proposal and serving as a panellist in a discussion on the implementation of CSRD.
Heading the ESG and natural capital teams at Gowling WLG, Ben Stansfield utilises his longstanding planning and environmental law expertise to serve as a key contact on biodiversity net gain issues. Stansfield is also a notable authority on the environmental and ESG aspects of energy and infrastructure developments.
Stansfield is highly sought-after among landowners, developers, responsible bodies, and local authorities on biodiversity net gain issues, including the acquisition and management of biodiversity units, the delivery of biodiversity strategies, and the drafting of nature conservation covenants.
A keen thought leader, Stansfield has authored articles on topics including the nature-related risks to businesses, hosted conference discussions on matters including legal challenges in managing BNG and nature-related solutions, and led webinars on topics including ESG strategies and supply chain management. Stansfield also serves as a vice chair of the American Bar Association’s ESG and sustainability sub-committee.
A longstanding expert on climate finance matters, Chris Staples at Linklaters LLP acts for multilaterals, global financial institutions, corporates, and industry associations on investments, financings, regulatory issues, and policy matters across the green transition.
In an ongoing matter, Staples serves as primary council to the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA), helping the organisation navigate next steps for its verified carbon transactions definitions. A long-term partner to ISDA, Staples also co-authored a report with the association into the risk of greenwashing within the voluntary carbon market and how carbon credits can be used to help meet corporate climate targets.
Owing to his expertise in the carbon market space, Staples served on the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market’s work programme to boost market pricing, transparency, and integrity. Staples was also selected to the Energy Transition Accelerator, a carbon finance platform which seeks to catalyse private capital to further the energy transition in developing economies.
Matthew Townsend at A&O Shearman is a key authority on the environmental and ESG aspects of projects, regulatory and compliance mandates. Alongside heading the firm’s UK environment and climate practice and serving as global co-head of its environment and climate group, Townsend also helped found the firm’s global sustainability group.
Townsend is highly sought-after on pathfinding mandates, particularly concerning transition finance, carbon, and greenwashing. Supporting the UK’s ambition to become a hub for sustainable investments, Townsend assisted the UK Transition Market Finance Review Secretariat in engaging with market players and developing recommendations to create a regulatory environment which supports economy-wide efforts toward net zero.
As a leading legal voice on green issues, Townsend serves on the Senior Advisory Board to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and is a member of bodies including the International Chamber of Commerce’s Sustainability Committee and the Financial Market Law Committee’s ESG Working Group.
Leading the planning, environment, and health and safety team at Watson Farley & Williams LLP, Nick Walker brings deep knowhow regarding maritime ESG regulation, emissions trading issues, and green and sustainable projects.
In an ongoing matter, Walker is assisting Hecla Emissions Management in the development and launch of its digital exchange to facilitate the trading of FuelEU Regulation compliance balances. The mandate allows for verified emissions reductions to be securitised and traded, supporting the shipping industry in building further economic opportunities surrounding the use of renewable and low-carbon fuels.
Walker is a particular thought leader on green maritime matters, speaking at conferences and seminars on topics including ship recycling, fuel decarbonisation, and the EU emissions trading scheme. Walker also led a legal analysis for the Carbon Trust, focusing on the coexistence of the UK’s offshore wind and fishing industries and the mitigation of legal liability risk.
Integrating competition, EU law, and energy regulatory expertise within his practice, Michel Chatelin at Osborne Clarke is a notable advisor on pioneering mandates across renewable energy, green products, and ESG.
As part of his ongoing cooperation with the 2tokens Foundation through client work and thought leadership, Chatelin regularly participates in the 2Tokens podcast to discuss the fractionalised ownership of renewable power assets, the tokenisation of green energy and certificates, and energy sharing initiatives.
Chatelin serves as a member of the steering committee of Sustainable Amerland and of the supervisory board of energy cooperative AEC. A notable thought leader, Chatelin co-authored a chapter on solar power regulation for the Elgar Encyclopaedia of Environmental Law and serves on the tax and legal committee of trade association Holland Solar.
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 Erottaja Attorneys regularly advises major domestic companies across the permitting of green industrial, energy, and infrastructure projects.
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.
