Tessa Kate Lee > Linklaters Studio Legale Associato > Milan, Italy > Lawyer Profile

Tessa Kate Lee

+39 02 8839 351 tessa.lee@linklaters.com View profile View profile

Work Department

Banking, Energy & Infrastructure, ESG and Export Credit practices

Position

Dual English and Italian law-qualified, Tessa has a long-established track record as an energy lawyer, specialising in renewable energy, oil & gas and conventional power-related matters. She heads the firm’s Energy, Infrastructure and Renewables practice in Italy.

Tessa advises borrowers and lenders, including commercial banks, multilaterals and export credit agencies (ECAs) domestically and internationally, on financings, including project, export credit, leveraged and acquisition finance, principally in the energy and infrastructure sectors and from opportunities arising from the energy transition. She is also actively involved with the firm’s initiatives surrounding Africa, including developing and maintaining African client and institutional relationships.

Tessa also heads the firm’s European Export Finance Practice, is a member of the firm’s ECA group, coordinates the Italian ESG working group and is a member of the Italian CSR committee and the firm’s global D&I committee.

Career

2021 to date: Partner, Linklaters Studio Legale Associato, Milan

2008-2021: Counsel, Linklaters Studio Legale Associato, Milan

2004-2007: Consultant, Linklaters Studio Legale Associato, Milan

2002-2004: Counsel, Clifford Chance, Milan

1997-2002: Associate, Clifford Chance , Milan

1994-1997: Trainee/Associate, Linklaters London (seconded to Paris office for 6 months in 1995)

Languages

English, Italian, French

Memberships

Solicitor, England & Wales

Avvocata, admitted to the Milan Bar

Member of the legal committee of AERO (Italian Association of Offshore Renewables Energies – Associazione Energie Rinnovabili Offshore)

Member of Linklaters’ Africa Desk

Head of the Italian DEI Committee and Italian representative on the Linklaters’ Global DEI Committee

Member of various Linklaters’ Italian Management Committees (Finance, ESG, HR, Innovation)

Education

2019-20: Graduate of Oxford Said Business School – ESG Accelerator Course

1991-1993: College of Law, London

1987-1991: Magdalen College, Oxford University, BA Modern Languages

Personal

Participation in innovation initiatives and pilots for Linklaters’ Milan office: paperless pilot, open plan, digital programme for organising conference calls, CP digital platform.

Sponsored a cross-function (legal & IT) team which designed document generators for Italian law ‘exchange of correspondence’ forms, resulting in efficiency improvements and cost savings for clients.

Founder and coordinator of the Italian ESG working group and the monthly GEMS newsletter

Active member of the Italian CSR/Social Impact committee for 10 years. Currently, sponsor of two pro bono refugee related initiatives (CIPRA/Art 39) both shortlisted for FT Innovation Awards 2023.

Speaker at seminar on finance for second generation immigrant student association and Sponsor of attendee as stagista at Linklaters.

Mentor on Linklaters’ Women’s Leadership Programme for Senior Female Associates

Mentee on Linklaters’ Reverse Mentorship (upward mentoring from junior associates)