Herbert Smith Freehills has joined several other firms in appointing new leaders of its environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) practices.

The move involves putting the firm’s ESG capabilities in one practice which will now be headed up by London-based energy partner Silke Goldberg. Regional leaders include responsible investment specialist Rebecca Perlman for the U.K., the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Africa; governance specialist Timothy Stutt in Australia; and business and human rights specialist Antony Crockett in Asia.

“In business, a welcome seismic shift is underway in ESG awareness, regulation and enforcement that affects every company, investor and lender, and we need to support them,” said HSF’s CEO Justin D’Agostino in a statement.

“In forming the new ESG leadership team, we wanted our knowledgeable and ambitious young leaders to take charge, fully backed by the firm’s management team.”

HSF’s change is the latest similar move in a matter of weeks in the top tier legal industry. Earlier in February, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher unveiled an ESG practice led by six partners across the U.K. and U.S., while Seyfarth Shaw formed a 20-lawyer ESG group spanning both sides of the Atlantic and Hunton Andrews Kurth also announced its own group.

Meanwhile, Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe hired from outside for a new ESG practice leader.

In November Clifford Chance set up a task force headed up by its senior partner to co-ordinate its client-facing ESG offering.

In December, HSF announced its commitment to cutting its carbon emissions to net zero by 2030 through using clean energy and working with like-minded suppliers.

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