Our track record
Our global ESG team, which includes dozens of country specialists across all major jurisdictions, guide multinational clients across industries who are struggling to determine how the rapidly proliferating global ESG regulatory infrastructure will impact them.
Some recent examples of how they have innovatively crafted first-of-their-kind global regulatory compliance solutions include:
- Navigating clients’ sensitive issues that arise from their CSRD double materiality assessments, frequently due to jurisdictional differences within an organization. Our cross-border team then works closely with these clients in order to achieve a satisfactory outcome, taking into account the distinction between “materiality” under different regimes. This is high stakes work that involves confidential, sensitive and privileged information.
- Acting as ESG counsel for clients with global operations and dual-headquarters in order to help them manage their ESG compliance obligations on both a global and regional level. Our core team acts as the lead facilitator in order to provide seamless advice that covers multiple jurisdictions and different types of ESG related regulations, including Board-level advice and presentations.
- Working closely with our specialists across the EU, US, and APAC to monitor comments from national regulators regarding compliance with CSRD, SFDR, EU Taxonomy, and non-EU ESG reporting regimes in order to provide clients with the most consistent and informed approach to global reporting.
- Partnering with our unique in-house Science Unit, comprised of post-doctoral scientists experienced with climate change, biodiversity, nature positive solutions and metrics related to the reporting of sustainability performance indicators, to help clients evaluate whether their double materiality assessment and value chain delineation meet regulatory requirements. Our Science Unit advises on the practical considerations / implementation, while the lawyers manage the compliance aspects, creating a distinctive and valuable “one stop” service for clients.
- Partnering with clients’ appointed audit teams and consultants in order to prepare for compliance with the limited assurance opinion requirements, including advising a member of the Big Four accountancy firms on how to prepare to meet the new CSRD requirements for statutory auditors and independent assurance providers.
- Assisting clients around the world with preparing and/or reviewing draft ESG-related disclosures and conducting and presenting gap analyses and recommendations, with a practical focus on creating best practice whilst acknowledging the considerations of the different obstacles.
- Advising clients from numerous jurisdictions and sectors on all aspects of the CSRD and ESRS: performing scoping and applicability assessments, advising on the advantages / disadvantages of reporting options and the implementation of the double materiality assessment and drafting template sustainability statements.
- Advising a Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance member on the legal risks associated with remaining a member of the Alliance at the height of multiple members exiting after State AG’s claimed members were violating antitrust law.
- Representing a major proxy advisory firm in the financial services industry on multiple inquiries from State AGs as well as Congressional leaders relating to ESG matters.
- Representing a major global food and beverage retailer in a dispute with a U.S. consumer advocacy organization on claims that our client markets its products as ethically sourced while allegedly sourcing from farms engaging in human rights abuses, a case that carries broader implications.
- Representing the Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport of a large German state to provide critical legal insight on the constitutionality of the proposed Resource Protection Act NRW, underscoring our commitment to providing risk-focused advice on ESG valuation and management that supports our clients' goals in ESG and sustainability initiatives.
- Advising clients on the implementation of the French Law on the Duty of Vigilance (design of the plan required by the French law and identification of potential human rights risks) and the upcoming obligations under the CS3D.
- Advising several companies on greenwashing risks associated with advertising campaigns in France.
- Advising various global companies on global ESG Compliance, including the implementation of the German Supply Chain Act, the EU Deforestation Regulation, the EU Battery Regulation and the CS3D.
