Natasha Luther-Jones > DLA Piper > Leeds, England > Lawyer Profile

DLA Piper’s renewable energy practice has recently made two new additions to its team; offshore wind specialist Bruce Chen, who joined from Allen & Overy LLP as of counsel, and legal director Steven Gray, who formerly worked on climate matters at the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. Global energy and natural resources co-chair Natasha Luther-Jones, who divides her time between Leeds and London, is described as ‘exceptionally creative’ by clients; she regularly works with colleagues across the firm’s Europe network to effectively handle cross-border mandates, with Andreas Gunst in Vienna and Fredrik Lindblom in Oslo both key names. The group has recently seen a number of departures to Ernst & Young LLP, with Charles Morrison, Dimitri Papaefstratiou, and Simon Collier all leaving to establish a new energy practice for the Big Four firm. Senior associate Jeremy MacIver, who specialises in green energy, has of late been working remotely in New Zealand and building up the firm’s connections there.

DLA Piper handles an arsenal of big-ticket international energy projects and is jointly led by key partners Natasha Luther-Jones, who is also the firm’s global chair of energy and natural resources, Robert Smith and Ben Peecock. The group has strength in the renewable energy space, particularly across high-value offshore wind farm financing work and acquisitions. Dual-qualified senior associate Rob Cockburn advises on the financing and refinancing of energy and infrastructure projects in the UK and Europe. Also in the group is senior associate Jennifer Keogh, who focuses on corporate PPA matters. Stephen Atkinson works closely with Luther-Jones on renewable energy matters, acting for both buyers and sellers. Allison Page departed the firm for DWF.