Contributors
International law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) has been again recognised as a specialist firm in clean and renewable energy projects that’s helping lead the discussion on climate change, governance, and sustainability after being named in The Legal 500's Green Guide for 2024.
The guide, which highlights firms that are at the forefront of ESG work for clients alongside its own successes as a responsible business, highlighted 40 firms across the UK, with Womble Bond Dickinson named for the second straight year following the guide's inaugural 2023 edition.
WBD was spotlighted for its work on some of the largest renewable schemes in the country across CCUS, hydrogen, energy storage, heat networks, wind, solar, and transmission projects.
Its long-standing relationship with Renewable Energy Systems (RES) was a key highlight for the year, with the firm, led by partner Sebastian Briggs, advising RES on a £3bn joint venture with Octopus Energy Generation to develop green hydrogen plants across the UK under the HYRO banner, which will see electrolyser facilities in Kent and Wales developed with a combined capacity of 22.5 MW.
Also mentioned was the firm's work with Envision to help realise a 119GWh capacity battery manufacturing plant near Sunderland's Nissan factory, along with its wider support of Triodos Bank UK on financial, real estate, and energy issues in Scotland.
The firm's own responsible business initiatives were also praised by the guide, noting the achievement of the EcoVadis gold medal and participation in energy-driven trade associations such as Hydrogen South West and the Solent Cluster.
In addition, Energy Sector leader Richard Cockburn and Real Estate lead Simon Hughes were highlighted as leading team members who are engaging with clients' sustainability aims and goals.
Richard said:
"Retaining our spot in The Legal 500 Green Guide is an excellent achievement and showcases our overall commitment to ensuring that we can do our part to lead on the transition to a more green and sustainable future.
As our recent energy transition report indicates, there is still a lot of work to do not only with the move towards more renewable energy generations, but also in upgrading our current energy infrastructure.
Our firm has a key role to play in the energy transition, and we are proud to be working with numerous clients which are leading in this field and are dedicated and committed to a better change for all."
Charlotte von Sicard, Responsible Business Manager at WBD, added:
"It is clear that in order to provide clients with the best possible knowledge and expertise in this space, there needs to be a genuine and authentic commitment to our own internal sustainability work.
We're pleased the Green Guide recognises this and has highlighted our numerous responsible business initiatives focusing on the commitment to a more sustainable future as a key part of the firm's experience in driving the sector forward."
The firm was amongst the first in the UK to announce its commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2030 when it launched its Carbon Reduction Plan in October 2021, and WBD is also a founding member of the Legal Sustainability Alliance.
For more information on WBD's ESG commitments, please read our most recent Responsible Business report.
