Steve Gummer is head of net zero at Sharpe Pritchard LLP, where he spearheads the water, infrastructure, and energy team with a focus on regulated and net zero projects. Leveraging his extensive experience, he provides expert advice to investors, utilities, and government entities on complex projects across the nuclear and water sectors. He is particularly skilled in regulated asset base delivery models and regulated electricity projects, power purchase agreements, and various energy solutions, including solar PV, nuclear power, offshore wind, and hydrogen. Regulators and central government bodies including Ofwat, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and the Department for Business and Trade have sought his advice.
Gummer is also the driving force behind the firm’s Green Goals campaign and GreenSteves project, which aim to highlight how public bodies can address the climate crisis and support them in achieving their net zero goals.
Additionally, he is a regular contributor to monthly articles and webinars and supports initiatives such as Net Zero Catapult by providing free advice on energy issues. His frequent speaking engagements cover a range of topics related to energy and sustainability.
Andreas Gunst, co-chair of DLA Piper Weiss-Tessbach Rechtsanwälte GmbH’s global climate transition group, has over twenty years of experience advising on renewable energy, biogas, hydrogen, and sustainable aviation fuel-related matters. He is particularly noted for his expertise in greenhouse gas emission reduction projects and has acted for national governments on legislative reforms to implement carbon markets and renewable energy frameworks.
Gunst is also actively engaged in industry associations. He serves as a board member of the Carbon Markets and Investors Association, chairs the legal committee of renewable energy trading and certification organisation RECS International, and is a member of the Voluntary Carbon Markets Advisory Committee, among other affiliations.
ESG expert David Hackett has played a vital role in the establishment of Baker McKenzie’s compliance, environmental, climate and ESG practices. He has extensive experience advising major corporations and nonprofits on compliance, risk, environmental and sustainability matters, including the evaluation and development of effective compliance and sustainability programs. A key client is the UN Global Compact US Board, for whom he handles all legal issues, including advice related to the UNGC ownership role in developing content, standards and programs related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Among his many other NGO board memberships, Hackett is a founding member of the Senior Advisory Board of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development Preparer Forum for Sustainability Disclosure and serves as board chair for WBCSD North America. He is involved in current WBCSD projects around ESG governance initiatives, soy sustainability standards, plastics programs and regulation, and sustainable finance, among others.
A frequent speaker on ESG, he has additionally published articles on ESG governance and ESG litigation.
At Gorrissen Federspiel, Christian Halskov Sauer offers standout expertise on the development, financing, commercialisation, and acquisition of wind, solar, biogas, and power-to-X projects.
In a landmark biofuel sector deal, Halskov Sauer is acting for Green2X regarding the development, construction, and offtake agreements of a biomass plant in Vordingborg, which will produce biomethane and carbon dioxide. Within the renewable energy segment, other key clients include leading utility HOFOR, whom Halksov Sauer assists regarding the contracting for its 145 MW+ Fjenneslev solar plant in Sorø municipality.
As head of the firm’s energy group, Halskov Sauer takes on a guiding role as part of its industry engagement, sharing the firm’s knowledge and best practice within associations including Green Power Denmark, the Danish Energy Association, PtX-partnership, and the Biogas Association.
Halskov Sauer regularly shares legal and energy sector expertise with clients and the public, authoring insights including an exploration into state aid matters within the end of Denmark’s open-door offshore regime. A keen thought leader in the space, Halskov Sauer also regularly delivers seminars and trainings on the decarbonisaiton of power systems and industries.
With 25 years’ experience in the field, Stuart Hammer leads Debevoise & Plimpton’s environmental practice. Private equity firms and corporations also seek his advice on ESG issues.
Dedicated to driving change also within the firm, he additionally chairs the firm’s Green Committee, advising on internal sustainability initiatives.
Hammer frequently speaks and writes on environmental- and ESG-related issues. He sat on the steering committee for Cambridge Forums’ inaugural Forum for ESG Legal Leaders in 2022 and again in 2023, where he has led many discussions on topics ranging from working with ESG consultants to the politicization of ESG, and ESG challenges and opportunities for private equity firms.
CMS’ head of energy & climate change Munir Hassan is a specialist advisor on low-carbon and renewable energy projects and transactions, assisting across M&A, financings, project development, regulatory issues, and disputes. He brings familiarity across all technology segments and is particularly active in the offshore and onshore wind, solar, and biomass project segments.
Hassan is a thought leader on legal and policy reforms concerning the UK grid connection process and electricity market operation and was a lead author of the firm’s global guide on the renewable energy market. Helping build internal knowledge on emerging green topics, he spoke at the firm’s global partner summit on the role of AI within the climate crisis.
A highly sought-after advisor on sustainability topics, Hassan co-led the firm’s pro bono legal support for the COP28 summit, assisting the conference to launch partnerships and intergovernmental collaborations on sustainable finance, corporate, IP, and reputational matters. He also facilitated the Energy Leaders’ Roundtable Dinner at COP28, sparking an industry discussion across funding, reskilling, the role of data, and the necessity of consumer engagement in the energy transition.
Heading the ESG and compliance offering at Arntzen de Besche, Sarah Haugvad Andresen assists domestic and international clients in navigating the emerging sustainability regulatory landscape.
Possessing an in-depth knowledge of ESG regulations, Andresen assists in preventative compliance, project coordination, and policy development matters which help clients meet EU regulation including the SFDR and Taxonomy, CSRD, and EUDR. Andresen is a notable thought leader in this space, regularly conducting seminars and workshops focused on greenwashing, the Transparency Act, and CSDDD.
Passionate about building future sustainability expertise, Andresen is the co-founder and vice-chair of the Youth in Sustainability network, within which she delivers keynote speeches on topics including regulatory frameworks and greenwashing, and leads consultation initiatives on ESG regulations. As part of the organisation, Andresen is leading a working group in developing a consultation response to the government proposal to set Norway’s 2035 climate targets in law.
Andresen also plays a key role within Skift – Climate Business Leaders, leading the network in education concerning green purchasing and compliance, due diligence assessments, and sustainability regulations and best practices.
Applying over 30 years of experience in assisting clients across a range of sectors with corporate and governance matters related to their operations in Mexico and Latin America, Yves Hayaux du Tilly leads Nader, Hayaux & Goebel’s sustainable transition working group, advising clients and boards of directors on the best ways to assess their ESG impact, manage climate emergency risks and transition into a sustainable economy from a governance, regulatory and compliance standpoint.
Hayaux du Tilly’s commitment to driving sustainability and the green transition reaches beyond his client work: He is a member of Chapter Zero UK (the Director’s Climate Forum), led efforts to launch Chapter Zero Mexico and now co-chairs its executive committee, and is an active member of the Governing Board of the Climate Governance Initiative.
He is also a recognised figure in the thought leadership space, having published and spoken about issues ranging from implementing effective corporate climate governance to the importance of nature connection for business, and ESG controversies in Mexico.
Playing a key role within Castrén & Snellman’s ESG and corporate sustainability team, Lia Heasman is a highly sought-after advisor across the sustainability and human rights landscape. Alongside a key focus on ESG risk identification and management, Heasman brings particular knowledge on how to leverage pressing and business-critical ESG trends to create value for stakeholders, particularly within M&A processes. In this space, Heasman counts major corporates, funds, and private equity players among her clients.
Heasman is a key contact for clients seeking to best meet the fast-moving ESG regulatory landscape, offering incisive expertise on the development of ESG strategies, navigation of sustainability reporting requirements, and conducting of supply chain risk assessments.
Building upon a long history of academic thought leadership on corporate responsibility, Heasman recently co-authored a Helsinki Law Review article on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. Elsewhere in the due diligence space, Heasman spoke at the Wind Finland event on the impact of European ESG regulation on the sector. Heasman has also conducted classes at the University of Helsinki on corporate sustainability and human rights.
Heading the environment and natural resources practice at Borenius, Casper Herler combines a focus on project development mandates with an acute knowledge of sustainability and social impact matters. Alongside a deep familiarity with low-carbon data centres, hydrogen infrastructure, and the batteries value chain, Herler places a notable emphasis within his practice on sustainable mining projects, supporting the sector in its veracious adoption of environmental best practice.
A key client is multinational mining company Anglo American, whom Herler is advising on its voluntary ecological compensation project. The project will ensure that forest biotypes and ecosystems are protected, while leaving a positive social impact within the local community.
Through his engagement with the AmCham Finland working group, Herler has supported the drafting of a model which reforms the permit system in Finand, helping facilitate investment in projects which leave a positive green impact.
Herler played an essential role within the firm’s development of its sustainability strategy, leading its engagement with EcoVadis and the WWF Green Office programme during his tenure as managing partner.
At Holland & Knight, Jennifer Hernandez has three decades of experience in land use and environmental law, and co-leads the firm’s climate change team as well as heading up the West Coast land use and environmental practice. She is a renowned figure in connection with brownfields, cleanups, conservation and restoration, and advises clients ranging from the private sector to public agencies and nonprofits.
Alongside her legal work, she serves on the board of directors for California Forward, is a founding member of Californian nonprofit Sustainable Conservation, and a board member of various other organizations such as The Breakthrough Institute, The Conservation Fund, and the California League of Conservation voters.
A prolific writer of books and articles on land use, environmental and climate law, Hernandez also teaches on these topics in business schools and universities as well as for client seminars and lawyer professional associations. She has chaired a conference on climate change law in California, and has spoken on various podcasts including California Insider, Serve to Lead, and The Climate One Podcast.
A sustainability expert, Berthold Hofbauer at Heid und Partner Rechtsanwälte frequently undertakes client work and specialised training on green public procurement, socially responsible public procurement, sustainability law, and greenwashing.
Beyond his advisory work, Hofbauer is a lecturer at ANKÖ Academy on sustainable procurement and at FH Burgenland on sustainability law. He also serves as the exclusive procurement law expert for So Fair, an initiative of Climate Alliance Austria which seeks to promote socially sustainable procurement. Additionally, Hofbauer is a co-author of the Austrian Water and Waste Management Association’s green procurement guide.
Global co-head of the CMS ESG taskforce, Laura Houët is a notable advisor to international fund houses and financial institutions on green investment strategies, sustainability regulation and reporting, and climate transition governance. Helping deeply integrate a green consciousness within its internal operations, she also sits on the firm’s sustainability board committee, which helps pursue and coordinate practical steps toward reducing its carbon footprint.
Houët is a thought leader within the firm on ESG matters, co-authoring insights on topics including how industry bodies interact with ESG ratings regulation, the European Securities and Market Authority’s guidelines on ESG and sustainability-related fund names, and the FCA rules into greenwashing and sustainability disclosure requirements.
Owing to her strong reputation regarding ESG regulatory issues, Houët has spoken at events including the European Public Real Estate Association & FTSE Russell Sustainability Summit on the impact of the net zero transition, providing expert insight into the implications of the SDR. As a key voice in the ESG funds space, she was a judge for the Sustainable Investment Awards 2024.
Serving as head of ESG regional development for Linklaters, Gilly Hutchinson coordinates the firm’s advice across Asia on clean energy, sustainable finance, and ESG mandates. Complementing her expertise in advising lenders and sponsors on renewable energy project financings and green and sustainability-linked loans, she regularly leads client training on ESG matters in Hong Kong.
Hutchinson is trusted by leading sustainability and ESG trade associations and working groups in their efforts to promote the green transition. As part of the firm’s membership to the Hong Kong Green Finance Association, she is active in the association’s working groups and served as a panellist on its biodiversity webinar series. She also sits on the Asia Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association’s ESG and sustainable finance working groups and the Private Wealth Management Association’s ESG committee.
Contributing to efforts to integrate environmental sustainability into office strategy and raise awareness of how staff and clients can help combat climate impacts, Hutchinson leads the firm’s Hong Kong environment committee. She also makes a regular thought leadership commitment, including co-authoring an insight into the Hong Kong Stock Exchange’s climate-related disclosure requirements.
Alberto Ibort leads Perez-Llorca’s urban planning and environmental practice in Spain and is highly regarded for his extensive expertise in sustainability. His practice spans industrial waste management, water and biodiversity protection, and net-zero carbon initiatives. Recently, Ibort expanded his focus to include emerging areas such as green compensation schemes, energy transition strategies, and the integration of ESG criteria into corporate operations.
Ibort is noted for his advisory work toward the restoration of the Alcudia wetland in the Balearic Islands. This significant project, undertaken in collaboration with WWF, is dedicated to recovering and conserving a vital ecosystem that bolsters the region’s climate resilience.
A recognised thought leader, Ibort co-authored the firm’s publication on the emerging EU regulatory framework for sustainability under the European Green Deal, providing critical insights into climate change policies impacting various economic sectors. Ibort also drives the firm’s thought leadership initiatives as the editor of its environmental newsletter.
Active across Bruun & Hjejle’s ESG and banking and finance teams, Anne Cathrine Ingerslev is a key contact on debt financing mandates across the green energy and electricity segments, counting large-cap corporates, major private equity and infrastructure funds, and leading financial institutions among her clients.
A notable repeat client is leading global renewables firm European Energy, whom Ingerslev assisted in its major green finance transaction, consisting of a €375m green bond offering, green bond tender offer and mandatory call, and €100m green revolving credit facility. Also for European Energy, Ingerslev advised on the €150m green portfolio financing of solar and wind assets across Europe. With the deal an innovative example of how portfolio financing can facilitate green project development, Ingerslev followed the mandate by authoring an academic article which reflected on the key legal challenges and learnings.
On the sponsor side of deals, further clients include telecommunications player TDC NET and energy and fuels supplier OK. Attesting to her comfort acting for leading domestic banks, Ingerslev represented Danske Bank and Nordea regarding energy technology company Topsoe’s inaugural green bonds issuance.
With over 20 years of environmental law expertise, Olivia Jamison at CMS is a key contact on UK and EU climate change law and policy, offering focused expertise into GHG emissions reductions, sustainability, biodiversity, and the low-carbon and circular economy. In offering a London and Dublin practice, and by leading the regional team which advises on the European Green Deal, Jamison is a valuable advisor to clients on how UK and EU green regimes interact and impact business practices, investments, and products.
Having initiated its UK and global commitment to the Science Based Targets initiative, Jamison takes up a leading role in managing the firm’s climate commitments by sitting on its global EST steering committee and sustainability committee. Helping ensure the partnership remains cognisant of sustainability best practice, Jamison presented on climate change risk and litigation at the firm’s global partners conference.
Complementing her legal insights into environmental emissions, plastics regulation, and waste reduction as part of the firm’s thought leadership offering, Jamison writes a quarterly legal article on environmental developments for the Chartered Institution of Waste Management.
Nicole Jaureguiberry heads up Perez Alati’s conservation and natural resources department, focusing her practice on the public law and environmental sectors. In particular, she is known for her expertise in natural protected areas and in regulatory issues related to the environment. Bringing experience as former General Counsel at the National Park Service of the National Ministry of Environment, she often advises the public sector on legal matters surrounding the conservation of natural resources, sustainability and climate change.
Jaureguiberry is also a regular speaker and author on these topics, and is an active member of the Women in Nature Network (WiNN) in Argentina.
With over a decade of experience, Fernanda Jiménez at TACTIC has vast expertise in environmental policy and regulatory issues at a national and international level. She has advised clients on issues such as environmental requirements for real estate projects, and water and waste management regulations, often working with relevant environmental authorities, such as the Costan Rican Water Department and Ministry of Environment and Energy. Her recent clients include conversation and sustainable development non-profit Tropical Science Centre and Dutch-Costan Rican foundation Work with Nature.
Jiménez brings a background as legal advisor for Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency CINDE’s Tourism Infrastructure Department, where she contributed to the fostering of sustainable practices, and has acted as consultant for international environmental initiatives and organisations, such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Project Lifeplan. Also within her presidency at the Costa Rican Association of International Law (ACODI), she is committed to advancing environmental causes and sustainable legal practices.
Jiménez regularly shares her know-how in biodiversity and environmental issues via speaking engagements, and also teaches international environmental law as visiting professor at the University for Peace.
A&O Shearman counsel Kok Jin Ong is a leading voice in Singapore on M&A and joint venture transactions within the energy and infrastructure sectors, providing crucial assistance on major energy transition deals. As a trusted advisor to impactful clients in their scaling-up of green businesses, he regularly acts for energy companies on joint ventures and equity raises and for financial institutions on their bids and investments.
Key to Ong’s transactional practice is his comfort across a diversity of energy transition technologies. Major and ongoing clients include leading green fuels player Intercontinental Energy, whom he assists on its equity raises and strategic investments, and clean energy platform ACEN Renewables, which sought his advice on joint venture matters concerning its solar power and battery storage objectives.
Complementing the cross-border nature of his client work, Ong is a notable thought leader on how emerging economies can support their green transition journeys, co-authoring articles on topics including Vietnam’s power development plan and how the Philippines can leverage policy, regulation, foreign investment, and technology upgrades to sustain the pace of reform in its wind power sector.
