Herbert Smith Freehills Boosts ESG Energy and Practices to Ride the Regulatory Wave – Capital Brief

Businesses operating in Australia are facing more energy and environmental, social and governance (ESG) regulations than ever before, changing the way Freehill by Herbert Smith constructs his work.

This leading law firm has placed almost a quarter of its graduates in Project, Energy and Infrastructure (PEI) or corporate ESG practices. The combined energy and infrastructure practice is also expanding globally as lawyers increasingly address a range of regulatory issues.

From new climate disclosure requirements similar to those in the UK, France, Germany and New Zealand, to complex government energy policy, Australia’s leader in ESG Tymoteusz Stutt and global co-head of energy Nick Baker to say Great shortcut changes can be overwhelming.

The regulatory climate and the rise of private equity clients over the past decade looking to stay ahead of technological change are prompting law firms like Herbert Smith Freehills to expand expertise in their energy and ESG teams.

The company’s last job was for a US-based company PsiQuantum and its securing $940 million in government investment may not be an energy transition project “per se,” Baker said, “but it’s probably our best example of being at the forefront of the market and doing this kind of work.”