Clifford Chance LLP‘s ‘diverse global team’ pulls together a strong offering with sweet spots including sustainability-linked bonds, ESG-related regulation and climate change-related litigation. Jeroen Ouwehand, who divides his time between London and Amsterdam, heads up the team. Praised for being ‘excellent in communication and collaboration’, he frequently leverages his contentious expertise when leading climate change litigations. Andrew Patterson is well-positioned to advise global companies on linking ESG measures and pay. Listed companies and financial institutions turn to David Pudge for advice on corporate governance. Deborah Zandstra has deep knowledge of capital markets mandates that combine ESG objectives and sovereign-related work.  Adam Hedley‘s broad environmental practice spans climate-related due diligence and voluntary carbon market trading. Strategic advice on business human rights is a practice strength for Anna Kirkpatrick. Corporate governance specialist Kate Norgett is a further name to note.

Latham & Watkins‘s far-reaching ESG offering is active across areas including corporate governance, M&A, corporate activism, and energy transition work. The unit is also geared to handle a range of ESG-related disputes. The ‘extraordinary thought leader’ Paul Davies is the key contact in London. He excels in advising on the environmental and ESG aspects of global corporate transactions. Sophie Lamb KC‘s contentious expertise comes to the fore in arbitrations and litigations across areas such as as directors’ duties, reporting risks and public interest litigation. Nicola Higgs is well-placed to assist financial institutions with domestic and cross-border ESG regulatory issues. Michael Green further bolsters the transactional expertise at the firm and also excels in strategic and contentious ESG advice. Anne Mainwaring is well-versed in the ESG Disclosure landscape. James Bee is a further name to note.

Linklaters LLP runs the ESG gamut with ‘multi-industry and jurisdictional knowledge’ across areas including human rights, sustainable finance, whistleblowing complaints and regulatory enforcement in respect of greenwashing allegations. Praised for her ‘ pragmatic, commercial advice’, Rachel Barrett heads up the team and is well-positioned to advise business risk, immediate crisis response and corporate investigations in the context of ESG. Vanessa Havard-Williams is able to leverage her longstanding experience in this area by advising on an array of international governance mandates. Satindar Dogra’s contentious practice extends to dealing with activist shareholders. Kim Rybarczyk is noted for providing expert advice on transition planning, ESG disclosure and regulatory obligations. Claire Kernick further bolsters the practice’s strength in strategic approaches to ESG disclosure.

A&O Shearman‘s ESG team is praised for providing ‘fantastic and thorough advice on a variety of topics’. These include risk management, transactional support and ESG diligence, and sustainable finance and investment. The group is additionally well placed to represent clients in contentious ESG work as evidenced by its representation of an alliance of small island states in climate change proceedings. The ‘extremely impressive‘ Matthew Townsend heads up the team alongside the New York-based Ken Rivlin. Townsend’s broad expertise extends to supply chain risk management and international conventions on pollution. Lorraine Bayliss frequently brings her knowledge in international project finance to bear on mandates for the unit. Guled Yusuf has notable experience in handling arbitration connected to the energy, natural resources and infrastructure sectors.

Described as a team with ‘equal competence in public law, human rights and business strategies’, DLA Piper‘s broad offering encompasses expertise in sustainability litigation, business and human rights and renewable energy transactions. The team is jointly led by Jean-Pierre Douglas-Henry, who is well placed to assist corporate clients with corporate resilience in the context of ESG-related risk; Natasha Luther-Jones, an expert in corporate  PPAS; and Kelly Sporn, who co-leads the firm’s engagement with the Legal Charter 1.5 initiative. Jonathan Exten-Wright advises governments and businesses on a wide range of issues pertaining to human rights. Nick Rock is equipped to advise clients on compliance with regulations including CSRD and UK Climate-Risk-Related Disclosures regulations.  Emma Dowden-Teale has a focus on assisting clients with the proactive adoption of adequate people protection frameworks.

The ‘excellent core team’ at Norton Rose Fulbright has established itself as a key port of call for clients seeking assistance with corporate reporting, such as CSRD and TNFD; human rights procedures and disputes; mitigation and adaptation activities required in response to climate change; and sustainable finance. Caroline May heads up the team and has a varied practice extending to advice to corporates relating to greenwashing. Stuart Neely frequently brings his human rights expertise to bear on mandates such as the development of human rights due diligence programmes. Lucy Bruce Jones is well-versed in the regulatory landscape for carbon capture and storage. South African-qualified lawyer Lise Smit further bolsters the human rights due diligence capacities at the firm.

Slaughter and May‘s ‘comprehensive and cross-sectional advice’  is trusted by the likes of ASDA, Burberry and British American Tobacco. The team is equipped to advise on issues such as responses to greenwashing investigations, corporate governance and a range of supply-chain related work. David Watkins heads up the team and is frequently sought out by corporate clients for assistance with their climate-related financial disclosures. Harry Hecht is well-versed in regulations such as the CSRD and frequently advises multinational clients on remaining compliant. Moira Thompson Oliver is an authority on human rights governance and risk management practices. Samantha Brady is frequently asked to navigate clients through the emergence of hard and soft law relating to environmental and climate change issues.

Praised for its embrace of the ‘ intersectionality of inclusion, diversity and equity’, Baker McKenzie is equipped to assist a range of multinational clients with issues such as sustainable governance structures, ESG transactions, tax reporting requirements and commercially sensitive supply chain due diligence and investigations. The team is jointly overseen by corporate governance and reporting specialist Jo Hewitt and dispute resolution partner Francesca Richmond, who is equipped to assist major corporates with reputationally sensitive ESG investigations. Graham Stuart is well-placed to help clients to navigate regulatory enforcement risk and new UK climate reporting obligations. Sustainable energy procurement is a key area of activity for Andrew Hedges.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, praised for its ability to combine ‘world-class lawyers with unusual integrity and diligence’, is renowned in the market for its contentious work connected to international climate change law. The team is also well-positioned to represent corporate clients in climate and environmental disputes in domestic courts. Lord Peter Goldsmith KC heads up the team and excels in environmental class actions. Conway Blake represents both corporates and nation states and is well-versed in issues including international environmental law, human rights law and the law of the sea. Samantha Rowe‘s practice straddles contentious and advisory work and extends to matters that fall at the nexus between energy transition and international dispute resolution.

Hailed for its ‘highly detailed, commercially-minded advice’, Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP‘s ESG offering spans advice across renewable energy projects, climate advisory work, regulatory reporting and climate litigation. Employment law and pensions expert Diane Gilhooley leads the team. Stephen Hill is a key contact for low carbon and energy transition projects and investments. The impact of ESG initiatives on funds is a practice strength of Michaela Walker‘s. Jubilee Easo frequently assists global industrials and global chemicals companies with their net zero strategies, while Phil Spyropoulos excels in investor disclosure in the areas of ESG and sustainable investing.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher‘s ESG team spans expertise in sustainable reporting, transactional support, human capital and corporate tax strategy. Public M&A expert Selina Sagayam co-heads the practice alongside commercial litigation and investigations expert Susy Bullock. The latter has a proven track record in mandates connected to business and human rights issues across the banking sector. Former president of the European Court of Human Rights Robert Spano is well positioned to lead multi-national and cross-border ESG disputes. Solicitor advocate Stephanie Collins is sought out by a range of major corporate clients for advice on compliance with the UK Modern Slavery Act.

Squire Patton Boggs‘s far-reaching ESG offering is internally divided into twelve key areas of advice at the firm. These include lifecycle product regulation, supply chain management, responsible business and net zero and corporate governance and disclosure. The Leeds-based Hannah Kendrick  heads up the team and centres her ESG practice on reporting obligations and corporate transactions driven by the ESG agenda. Hannah Laming specialises in litigation and investigations including those related to misconduct in the workplace. Lucy Webster has a focus on climate change litigation and women’s sport.

Travers Smith LLP‘s ‘top-notch practice’ spans global compliance mandates, preventative counselling on ESG risk issues and ESG-related litigation. Heather Gagen leads the team and, alongside fellow disputes partner Stephanie Lee, is noted in the market for her prowess in handling parent company liability claims. Simon Witney is frequently instructed on corporate governance and company law cases that have an ESG component. Derivatives expert Jonathan Gilmour is well-versed in voluntary carbon markets, while Neal Watson is a key contact for listed company corporate advisory work.

Addleshaw Goddard

Burges Salmon LLP‘s contentious and advisory offering spans expertise in areas including net zero, sustainable finance, corporate governance and supply chain due diligence. Practice head Michael Barlow‘s broad practice extends to advising on the incorporation of ESG clauses into supply chain contracts. Ross Fairley is well-versed in UK and EU energy law and frequently leads on mandates connected to the transition to net zero. Jamie Cameron has specialist knowledge relating to corporate responsibility matters.

Gowling WLG‘s ESG expertise includes sustainable finance and investments into green economies, the creation of habitat land banks and nature impact offsetting, and risk mitigation of forced and child labour. Ben Stansfield heads up the team and is well-placed to advise corporate clients on investor-conscious reporting. Sharon Ayres excels in investment structures involving public sector bodies.

Mayer Brown International LLP‘s ‘forward-looking’ practice assists clients with a wide range of matters spanning sustainable finance, ESG regulatory, supply chain governance and emissions trading. The unit’s five-fold membership team comprises environment specialist Tim Baines,  human rights and governance expert Sam Eastwood, disputes and investigations partner Airlie Goodman, financial services regulatory lawyer Musonda Kapotwe and sustainable finance specialist Peter Pears. The ‘brilliant’ James Ford is another name to note.

McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP assists clients ranging from start-up companies to significant intergovernmental bodies and NGOs with work including impact financings and transactional, litigation and regulatory matters in the field of ESG. Regulatory partner Raminta Dereskeviciute co-heads the team and is a recognised authority in EU and UK chemical legislation (REACH), metals and mining policies. Ranajoy Basu excels in emerging markets work and frequently leads on social and development impact bonds and green structured finance transactions. Impact finance specialists Siddhartha Sivaramakrishnan and Priya Taneja are further names to note.

Pinsent Masons LLP‘s ESG offering includes expert advice across governance, supply chain issues, greenwashing and horizon scanning. The team is also well-placed to design and deliver bespoke ESG training programmes for legal teams, executive teams, and entire organisations. Michael Watson, who divides his time between Edinburgh and London, heads up the team and counts carbon transition projects among his areas of expertise. Hayden Morgan has deep experience in sustainable finance mandates, while Elizabeth Budd excels at work that lies at the intersection between FS regulatory work and ESG.

Lauded as a team that ‘truly goes the extra mile’, Reed Smith LLP is noted by peers in the market for its expertise across areas such as adaptive finance, voluntary carbon markets and social impact finance deals. Claude Brown heads up the team and has a broad practice that extends to transactions relating to sustainable energy generation in South America and Asia. Andrzej Janiszewski‘s transactional experience is frequently depended upon by impact investors. Rosanne Kay is a further key contact.

Watson Farley & Williams LLP is equipped to advise on land resettlement issues connected to major infrastructure projects and regulatory incident response complaint resolution in the field of ESG including court litigation, mediation and private grievance mechanisms. Sarah Ellington and Nick Walker co-lead the practice. Ellington’s broad practice ranges from transactional due diligence to handling UN complaints. Walker is highlighted for  his expertise in environmental and social monitoring and EU ship recycling regulations. Valentina Keys is a further key name to note.