Regulations around environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues continue to evolve rapidly, reflecting the growing global urgency to address sustainability and ethical business practices. Navigating this complex and dynamic regulatory landscape requires expert insight and forward-thinking guidance. We are committed to being a trusted advisor in ESG matters, helping our clients understand and comply with emerging regulations while integrating sustainability into their core strategies. Through our ESG Legal Advisory services, we support clients in building sustainable, future-proof businesses that contribute positively to society and the environment. Our expertise spans diverse sectors and legal disciplines, allowing us to present a clear picture to our clients of how emerging policies will impact their operations. We outline actionable steps for compliance, reporting, and regulatory obligations while advising on proactive measures to mitigate legal, governance, and reputational risks.
With decades of experience advising both private and public sector clients, we offer insights into the legal challenges arising from the shift toward sustainability, including:
‘Given the geopolitical drivers, the imperative has shifted from planning the transition to delivering it. Companies that act early are best positioned to survive and thrive.’
Valerie Lawlor, Partner and Head of Energy Group
 |
 |
- Advised Greencoat Renewables on the acquisition of South Meath Solar Farm from Statkraft and on its strategic Framework Agreement with FuturEnergy Ireland.
- Advising Ballymore in relation to the redevelopment of a part of St James Gate Brewery in co-operation with Diageo. In this generational project sustainability is a key driver in the preservation of certain existing historic buildings and the development of complimentary sustainable new buildings to create a destination residential and commercial district sympathetic to the history of the site.
- Advising Marlet in the development and letting to Workday of the iconic College Square being one of the most sustainable buildings in Ireland, having achieved LEED Platinum Certification and targeting WiredScore Platinum and A3 BER ratings. The developments was refinanced with Standard Chartered and the loan qualifies as a Green Loan under the Green Loan Principles.
- Advising Hammerson Plc in relation to a major regeneration project on Dublin’s O’Connell Street, (which will ultimately feature a new MetroLink station to be constructed by TII), requiring preservation of a number of key historic buildings and which creation of new public realm space, with sustainability considerations driving both design and construction methodology.
|
- Advised Equitix GP 7 Limited (acting in its capacity as general partner of Equitix Fund VII LP) and Baltic Cable Aktiebolag on the successful acquisition of the Greenlink Interconnector, a 504 MW subsea energy interconnector between Ireland and Great Britain, from Swiss-based global private equity firm, Partners Group.
- Advised PSE Kinsale Energy on the decommissioning of the Kinsale Head Gas Fields in compliance with environmental and safety standards.
- Advised Greencoat Renewables on the acquisition of South Meath Solar Farm from Statkraft and on its strategic Framework Agreement with FuturEnergy Ireland.
- Advised Bord Na Móna on the launch of Timahoe North Solar Farm, their first solar project developed in partnership with ESB.
- Advising Gas Networks Ireland on biomethane injection facilities and the transition of its network from fossil gas to renewable gas.
- Advising Bord na Móna on their Oweninny Phase 3 wind farm project in respect of consent and RESS applications.
- Advising Obton on their Hawkinstown solar energy project, one of the largest solar energy farms granted consent in 2024.
- Advising CarbonAMS on their entry into a long-term biomethane offtake agreement with Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease and the investment by Sustainable Development Capital LLP (SDCL).
|
 |
 |
- Advised Gore Street Energy Storage Fund on option, acquisition and financing structures for its majority and minority stakes in Irish BESS assets.
- Advising some of the largest asset managers and pension consultants in the world in relation to all aspects of their respective compliance projects associated with SFDR and the Taxonomy Regulation.
- Advised on the launch of multiple funds by assisting our clients with the establishment and authorisation of ‘Article 8+’ and ‘Article 9’ funds, and with building their respective ‘sustainable investment’ assessment frameworks.
|
- Advised ESB on its new €2.4 billion sustainability-linked revolving credit facility, provided by 15 international banks and supporting ESB’s Net Zero by 2040 strategy.
- Acted as lead counsel to HSBC in respect of green loan facilities advanced for the construction of the first Irish hotel of citizenM, a Dutch headquartered operator of over 30 hotels across the UK, North America, Europe and Asia.
- Advising a number of Irish corporates on matters relating to Ireland’s transposition of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.
|
 |
 |
- Advised Gore Street Energy Fund Plc, London’s first listed energy storage fund on the development of its Battery Energy Storage System Projects.
- Acted as Greencells GmbH lead Irish Counsel in negotiating its turnkey EPC contracts with Amarenco Solar Ireland Ltd in respect of eight separate 4.95 MW solar farm projects in Ireland.
- Advising Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) on DART+ project to upgrade and expand the existing commuter rail network in the Greater Dublin Area from 50km to 150km in length, enhancing capacity, reliability, and sustainability.
- Advising TII in relation to all aspects of this multi-million-euro development, including Environmental Impact Assessment and Appropriate Assessment, and the compulsory acquisition of lands under a Railway Order.
- Advising Uisce Éireann across a range of projects, including defence of a number of judicial review challenges to Uisce Éireann wastewater projects in Portmarnock and Kilkee, support on the first abstraction licence applications to be made in Ireland and regulatory support on a number of trade effluent licensing issues.
- Advising Statkraft/ CIP on the development of the North Irish Sea Array (NISA) wind farm as it seeks consent for one of the first offshore wind farms in Ireland.
|
- Advised clients on all aspects of the development and implementation of an effective ESG strategy, allowing us to work with stakeholders on a range of corporate governance challenges, such as directors’ duties, activism and disclosure requirements.
- Advised clients on ESG matters arising in the context of M&A transactions.
- Advised boards, directors and shareholders of listed, and unlisted private and public sector companies on their obligations and rights under applicable governance regimes (including the UK Corporate Governance Code).
- Worked with clients on the establishment of robust and practical risk management and compliance programmes as part of their ESG strategy.
|
 |
 |
- Advising TII on the introduction on the proposed extension of the Luas Green Line in Dublin.
- Acting for Touax in connection with a €50m green loan from the European Investment Bank which will enable Touax to increase its fleet of freight rail cars and further support the Touax Sustainable Transportation project.
- Advising TII in relation to the State’s rollout of projects in connection with the implementation of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (“AFIR”). AFIR forms part of the European Union’s ‘Fit for 55’ package, which aims to reduce the bloc’s net greenhouse emissions by at least 55% by 2030.
- Advising Irish Rail in relation to reclamation works, pier and development works for an offshore renewable energy hub to service the offshore wind development industry at Rosslare Harbour.
- Advising National Transport Authority on Busconnects. This transformative intervention in the Dublin transport network involving 230km of bus priority lanes and 200km of cycle routes.
- Advising Dublin City Council on the pioneering Dublin District Heating Project, which aims to utilise heat byproduct from the Dublin Waste to Energy Plant to supply heat and hot water to homes and businesses.
|
- Advised clients on the implementation of the Pay Transparency Directive including advice on pay structures to analyse whether these objectively define work of equal value and whether they disclose unjustified pay gaps.
- Worked with clients to develop a comprehensive compliance plan in respect of the Pay Transparency Directive, which included advising on remediation measures where any pay differentials are found to be incapable of objective justification.
|
Select how you would like to share using the options below