Lawyers from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Travers Smith, Jones Day and Winston Taylor are among 15 new additions to the latest cohort of Green Ambassadors, Legal 500’s guide to the lawyers leading the sustainability agenda across the UK.
Simpson Thacher ESG partner Matt Feehily, Jones Day energy transition partner Michelle Davies and Winston Taylor real estate partners Emma Tait and Matthew Jones are among the newcomers, and mark the first representation for their firms in the UK cohort.
At Travers, Sarah-Jane Denton, a director in the firm’s operational risk and environment team, has been recognised, while Gillespie Macandrew energy and strategic land partners Amy McDowell and Simon Williams are the first Green Ambassadors from a Scottish firm.
The additions bring the total number of UK Green Ambassadors to 45. Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer and Bates Wells are the best-represented firms, with three lawyers apiece, including HSF Kramer global head of ESG Silke Goldberg.
DLA Piper global co-chair of energy and natural resources Natasha Luther-Jones, A&O Shearman co-head of environmental and climate law Matthew Townsend, and Norton Rose Fulbright head of environment, health and safety Caroline May are among those retaining their Green Ambassador status.
The research also recognises the next generation of sustainability leaders. This year’s three Next Generation Ambassadors are BCLP senior associate Nick Harding; RPC senior associate and environment and climate change practice lead Sophie Tuson; and HSF Kramer senior associate and UK head of ESG Jannis Bille.
Other represented firms include Linklaters, Macfarlanes, Hogan Lovells, Cadwalader and Gowling WLG.
Green Ambassadors are selected for demonstrating a strong green focus in their work and wider engagement with sustainability. Client work is central to the research, with featured lawyers required to demonstrate a track record of supporting decarbonisation, the green transition and other sustainability objectives.
The latest additions to Legal 500’s Green Ambassadors roster come after almost 200 lawyers from a total of 95 firms were recognised in the Europe and US research earlier this year.
