The Legal 500 Green Guide: EMEA 2023

Arthur Cox

Irish full-service firm Arthur Cox provides demonstrable expertise within the green energy transition, having advised on key interconnection infrastructure projects that target Ireland’s policy of sourcing 80% of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030.  

Head of the firm’s cross-disciplinary ESG practice group Alex McLean advised Greenlink on the development, construction, and financing of the 500 MW HVFC Greenlink Interconnector between County Waterford and Wales. The firm also advised MaresConnect on the funding of its proposed 750 MW electricity interconnector between Dublin and Wales.  

With expertise in assisting Ireland’s leading onshore wind development projects, Niamh McGovern advised ESB and Bord na Móna in the development and financing for Phase 2 of the Oweninny Windfarm, which will take the project’s installed capacity to 172 MW. 

Danielle Conaghan is supporting Corio Generation toward meeting the Irish government’s target of 7 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 by advising the client on all aspects of the development of the Sceirde Rocks 400 MW offshore wind farm. 

In an ongoing matter for the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, the firm is assisting with the development of policy for the offshore wind sector, alongside the consenting and administration of proposed offshore windfarms, including the 1000 MW Codling Banks project.  

A founding member of the Green Team Network within the Irish Funds industry, the firm helped create a forum to share knowledge and support companies into implementing green strategies internally. The firm was also involved in establishing The Chancery Lane Project’s Irish Chapter, helping develop green clauses which support climate action across corporate, finance, property, litigation, and construction law. 

The firm’s target to become carbon negative by 2025 has been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative and is pursued through internal Energy Action Plans and investment in sustainable sequestration projects. The firm’s Dublin office has received both the ISO 50001 Energy Management certification and the LEED Platinum certification.

Mason Hayes & Curran LLP

Irish business law firm Mason Hayes & Curran LLP leads on matters and thought leadership that emphasises the importance of the green transition to energy security. Eoin Cassidy chaired the firm’s 2022 annual energy conference, which featured addresses by ministers and climate strategists on how the energy crisis revealed the necessity of the green transition, alongside panels on Ireland’s offshore wind supply chain and green project financing. 

Supporting the development of offshore wind projects critical to Ireland’s energy security and Climate Action Plan, Rory Kirrane is advising SSE on all aspects of the planning, development, and procurement of Phase II of the 800 MW Arklow Bank Wind Farm. In an ongoing matter, Deirdre Nagle is advising state-owned transmission system operator EirGrid on the Celtic Interconnector Project, which will support the uptake of renewable energy by facilitating the exchange of 700 MW of electricity between Ireland and France. 

For the Climate Change Advisory Council, which assesses how Ireland can transition to a low-carbon and environmentally sustainable economy, the firm provides ongoing public law and governance advice, including on the Council’s obligations under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2020, which promises a green transformation of Ireland’s economy and establishes a carbon neutrality target for 2050. 

Bringing experience in renewable project finance, William Carmody advised a syndicate of banks on the provision of revolving credit and term loan facilities to energy-focused investor Greencoat Renewables, with the financing supporting the acquisition of wind and solar plants across Europe. 

Through a dedicated ‘Green MHC’ project team, the firm seeks to improve its internal environmental outlook by engaging staff in sustainable practices, as is fostered by its annual Green Month. Toward reducing the firm’s carbon footprint, the team has overseen the transition to paperless operations, sustainable or environmentally friendly procurement, and the sole use of renewable electricity. 

McCann FitzGerald LLP

Full-service Irish law firm McCann FitzGerald LLP supports clients navigate emerging opportunities across sustainability, climate change mitigation, and the green energy transition. A key client is Solas Capital, with the firm advising the specialist investment advisory company on the establishment of the Article 9 SFDR-compliant Solas Sustainable Energy Fund, which will support organisations with their energy efficiency and decarbonisation projects.

Also within green financings, the firm advised the Bank of Ireland and Coillte Nature on the creation and development of the Woodland Nature funding scheme. Through issuing Woodland Nature Credits, the scheme allows corporates to calculate how the woodland projects they are funding impact carbon levels and biodiversity. 

Valerie Lawlor is a key contact in the solar power sector, having advised renewables investment manager Greencoat on its acquisition of the 80 MW under-development South Meath solar farm, and solar EPC contractor Greencells on its agreement to develop Amarenco’s portfolio of eight solar projects in Ireland. 

Brendan Slattery acts for major clients within the development of offshore wind power, including green electricity supplier Energia Group on its North Celtic Sea and South Irish Sea projects, with each project investing €2bn to expand Ireland’s renewable energy capacity; producer Statkraft on the licensing and development consent process for its proposed offshore windfarm in the North Irish Sea; and windfarm operator Hazel Shore on the sale of a 50% interest in its proposed Codling Wind Park to EDF Renewables.  

Another important client within the energy transition is Greenlink, which sought the firm’s advice from project inception to financing on the 500 MW electricity transmission interconnector between Ireland and Wales. 

Having been among the first Irish law firms to become carbon neutral through offsetting emissions through United Nations-approved schemes, the firm continues to regularly audit its footprint and is pursuing further reductions through minimising waste alongside energy, paper, and water consumption.

Philip Lee LLP

With a dedicated climate change practice, Irish commercial law firm Philip Lee LLP is committed to supporting decarbonisation through its client work and initiatives. Within consortium network Multilaw, the firm is helping create a working group of international climate change lawyers, which will extend its legal expertise on the energy transition and sustainability.

Alice Whittaker is a key contact, who is advising RWE on the development of the Dublin Array offshore wind project, handling permits and surveys, public auction processes, regulatory matters, and consultations on the energy market. The firm is also advising RWE on potential acquisitions within its targeted €1.5bn investments in the Irish renewables market.

For Mainstream Renewable Power, the firm is advising on both the consents strategy for the client’s Phase 2 offshore wind projects, and on the regulations concerning potential interconnection and hydrogen projects linked to Mainstream’s offshore project portfolio.

The firm also regularly advises electricity producer Power Capital Renewable Energy on its transactions, including the acquisition of a 240 MW shovel-ready solar PV portfolio from Renewable Energy Systems; and the acquisition of a majority equity stake in solar developer Terra Solar, allowing for the build-out of the target’s 400 MW portfolio. 

Another key individual is Philip Lee, who, alongside being a founding member of the Irish Green Building Council, advised Ubitricity on the legal barriers to the installation of on-street electric vehicle chargers throughout Ireland. 

In the pro bono space, the firm assists emissions-offset provider Rebalance Earth, which preserves ecosystems by protecting keystone species, then supplies corporates with offsets calculated against the carbon captured by the thriving ecosystem.

Lev Gantly, who recently arrived to lead the firm’s energy practice, contributes extensively to thought leadership surrounding carbon credit markets, and has also drafted a clause for The Chancery Lane Project which helps corporate landlords and tenants generate green electrons for the electricity grid. 

Pinsent Masons LLP

Pinsent Masons LLP’s Dublin office has demonstrable expertise advising clients in the energy and financial sectors on the development of renewable electricity projects and on the provision of sustainability-linked financing.

In the renewable electricity sector, Garrett Monaghan is assisting renewable project developer Obton with the acquisition of in-development solar projects across Ireland, totalling a 200 MW portfolio. The firm is providing advice regarding the financing, construction, and development of the projects, which help boost the availability of renewable solar electricity in Ireland’s energy mix.

The firm is also providing asset manager Osmosis Investment Management, which invests in companies with energy-, water-, and waste-conscious strategies, with ongoing legal and regulatory advice on the establishment of EU SFDR Article 9-compliant funds, and on relevant SFDR and Taxonomy disclosures across the client’s Irish funds. 

Demonstrating expertise in green funding, the firm acted for sales group DCC on its £800m sustainability-linked revolving credit facility. The funding arrangement is tied to the client’s attainment of sustainability metrics and targets. 

Acknowledging its role in the green transition, the firm is a signatory to the UN Global Compact and has joined the Science Based Targets initiative’s (SBTi) Business Ambition for 1.5°C Campaign. Through the SBTi, the firm has validated its targets to be net zero by 2040 and to use only renewable electricity and have reduced its absolute global greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030. The firm is also a member of the Carbon Disclosure Project, through which it monitors and manages its supply chain’s environmental performance.

Supporting climate action within the legal community, the firm is furthermore a member of the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance and Legal Sustainability Alliance, and has created the One Million Hours pledge, which seeks to raise one million hours of time among lawyers to provide pro bono advice on green projects and initiatives.