Energy and environment

News

Environment, climate change

Linklaters reveals cyclone shutdown in debut climate risk report

Linklaters has opened up about a cyclone that forced its Hong Kong office to shut down for a day, as it becomes the first magic circle firm to publish its climate-related financial disclosure report. As of 6 April 2022, limited liability partnerships must now provide a climate-related financial disclosures report within their annual report on […]

Kirkland, Gherkin

Kirkland loses ESG partner to Paul Hastings

Firms are on the lookout for ESG talent, as Paul Hastings recruits a partner from Kirkland & Ellis’s London team. Ruth Knox has spent over two years at Kirkland as a partner in its ESG and impact practice. She previously spent 11 years at Linklaters before leaving for the US giant. The departure comes after […]

Bishopsgate

Freshfields hits Travers for ESG hire

Travers Smith has lost its head of environment to Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, as the magic circle firm expands its ESG and sustainability team. Douglas Bryden has spent more than 13 years at Travers serving as head of environment and operational regulatory, as well as spearheading its ESG and impact group. He previously spent nearly three […]

Cadent Gas adds two firms to refreshed panel

Cadent Gas, which split from National Grid seven years ago, has updated its legal panel by reappointing five firms and adding on two more. The National Grid offshoot has given first-time places to Addleshaw Goddard and DWF. Both have been appointed onto the general services lot for Cadent, while Addleshaws has additionally won a spot […]

sewage drain

City giants defend water companies in landmark class action

Leigh Day has today launched an opt-out class action in the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) against Severn Trent Water, with litigators at firms including Herbert Smith Freehills primed to defend. The much-anticipated claim alleges that the Midlands and Wales water company has abused its market dominance by underreporting how often it sewage is spilled into […]

Analysis

How not to lose your associates

The exits we saw last year may have slowed a little since the most recent salary war cooled down, but the wider trend is one that dates back years: workers are less loyal than they used to be. Law firms are finding it increasingly difficult to retain their associates at a time when employers offer […]

WhatsApp-ing clients: fair or foul?

Do you WhatsApp your clients? It’s a more divisive question than you might expect. According to a recent poll of conducted by The Lawyer on LinkedIn, while 66 per cent of fee-earners don’t use the messaging service for this purpose, 34 per cent do. And it’s not split along seniority lines: partners, associates, trainees and […]

Beyond the Bubble: Even managing partners need a side-hustle

West Midlands: Everyone’s all about the wellbeing now, but some aspects of it are harder to crack than others – not least, the increasing prevalence of technology in our lives. Lawyers in particular are often desk-bound or required to constantly check their smartphone, and work long into the night in front of a laptop. But […]

National pro bono week: Quinn and Covington lawyers take on Russia

It has been 625 days since Vladimir Putin appeared in a televised broadcast and addressed Ukraine, Russia and the international community to say he would be conducting “a special military operation.”  Putin has refused to call it anything but since then. What we did see on that day was, in fact, the largest military invasion […]

Featured Briefings

The Environment Bill 2019 – water, water, everywhere

By Lee Perry Part 5 of the Environment Bill, contains a number of disparate proposals relating to water – which could have major implications for many. Senior associate Joanne Sear and solicitor Grace Mitchell take a look at some of the key points in the Bill. Water resources planning According to its explanatory notes, the […]