Gowling WLG offers particular strength advising on infrastructure development and compliance matters. Ben Stansfield leads the team, assisting clients across industry sectors on a wide range of development projects, with particular expertise regarding nature and environmental protection. Emma Cartledge-Taylor offers extensive planning and environmental law experience, handling contentious and non-contentious issues from regulatory compliance and strategy to disputes.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The Gowling team is the go-to team on biodiversity net gain, with Ben Stansfield as a standout in the team. The speed with which they have established themselves as authoritative and delivering excellent results in this new area is impressive, and stands them in good stead when nature markets develop more broadly.’
‘Ben Stansfield has rapidly mastered the highly complex area of biodiversity net gain. He speaks not just with authority on the legal obligations, but with huge practicality and commerciality, which has rightly led to him being instructed on the first big BNG-related commercial agreements. ’
‘Great team, really high profile in the UK environmental field, leading the way on commercial understanding of clients requirements.’
‘Ben Stansfield is among the top UK environment lawyers, a joy to work with’
‘Excellent ability to devise novel ways of dealing with challenges.’
‘Ben Gowling and Emma Cartledge-Taylor are both exceptional in terms of the ability to think creatively and in responding to novel questions. They have been excellent in supporting us in our new role as a responsible body for conservation covenants.’
'They are collaborative and understand business realities, not just the law.'
'Ben Stansfield is a sharp attorney and generous with his time and expertise, including many contributions to thought leadership and bar associations.'
Key clients
- Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
- Surrey County Council
- London Legacy Development Corporation
- University College London
- Vistry
- The Lifescape Project
Work highlights
Advising The Lifescape Project, a newly designated Responsible Body, on entering into its first conservation covenant to secure over 200 hectares of land for rewilding and biodiversity net gain, with one of the UK's leading rewilding organisations, Nattergal.
Advising Bellway Homes on its first-ever purchase of Biodiversity Net Gain habitat units to support one of its developments in the South East of England.
Advising the Nuclear Decomissioning Authority Group (comprising all subsidiary business units), as both landowner across the UK and as developer of large infrastructure projects on its Biodiversity Net Gain compliance strategy.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Ben Stansfield
Other key lawyers
Emma Cartledge-Taylor