Environmental Law

McDermott boosts London energy with Dentons partner hire

By Legal Week | October 2, 2009

McDermott Will & Emery has made its third lateral hire in a month, bringing in an energy partner from Denton Wilde Sapte. David Birchall, whose work focuses on deals in the electricity, trading and carbon sectors, will become the eleventh London partner in McDermott's global energy practice. His start date is yet to be confirmed.

1 minute read

Renewable energy: Reaping the whirlwind

By Legal Week | September 23, 2009

The UK has an obligation under the EU Renewables Directive to derive 15% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. Depending on level of take-up of renewables for transport, heating, etc, this equates to approximately 32% of the UK's electricity being generated from renewable sources by 2020. Offshore wind energy is expected to provide a large share of this increase in renewable generation capacity.

1 minute read

Renewable energy: The power players

By Legal Week | September 23, 2009

"Renewables is moving from boutique to industrial," says Ian Fairclough, legal counsel for renewables and generation at power company E.ON, citing the London Array wind farm, currently under development in the Thames Estuary as an example of the larger breed of projects that are redefining the sector. London Array will become the world's largest wind farm with an output of around 1,000 megawatts (MW) - of similar capacity to a small nuclear or gas-fired power station.

1 minute read

Renewable energy: Critical mass

By Legal Week | September 23, 2009

"The nuclear industry was for many years not very glamorous in this country, to say the least," recalls Amec Nuclear legal director Kevin Smith. "Now, though, it has suddenly become fashionable," he continues, "with law firms suddenly claiming they have got a nuclear law department". The shift in attitude began in 2003, counter-intuitively with the establishment of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), which subsequently opened up the decommissioning of various ageing nuclear plants, including Sellafield, to private companies. Around this time the Government's commitment to reduce its carbon emission levels, agreed under the Kyoto Protocol, came into force.

1 minute read

Renewable energy: Emission impossible?

By Legal Week | September 23, 2009

There is no shortage of targets when it comes to Europe's climate change policy. In addition to commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, the European Union (EU) aims to achieve a 20% reduction (from 1990 levels) of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2020 (rising to 30% if other countries commit to similar levels in ongoing negotiations). By the same date, the EU wants to see 20% of all its energy come from renewable sources. In the UK, the Climate Change Act 2008 requires a 34% cut in GHG emissions by 2020, and a cut of 80% by 2050. The concern is whether the mechanisms used by European governments will work to deliver these targets.

1 minute read

Renewable energy: Great light hope

By Legal Week | September 23, 2009

There are growth markets, there are long-term bets and then there is renewable energy. But however many false dawns alternative energy has had over the years, in the long run the business of green energy and nuclear power looks certain to ultimately establish itself as a huge, globally-significant industry.

1 minute read

International Edition

Renewable energy: Great light hope

By Legal Week | September 23, 2009

There are growth markets, there are long-term bets and then there is renewable energy. But however many false dawns alternative energy has had over the years, in the long run the business of green energy and nuclear power looks certain to ultimately establish itself as a huge, globally-significant industry.

1 minute read

Is Whitehall wilting in the climate change heat?

By Legal Week | September 23, 2009

Against the background of one of Europe's most liberalised energy markets and a renewable generation subsidy scheme designed to be driven by market forces, there are signs that the Government is struggling to make the model fit with its challenging low carbon targets. Is Whitehall losing faith in the power of free markets to deliver the goods when it comes to climate change?

1 minute read

Ashurst boosts energy and projects team with Linklaters hire

By Legal Week | September 18, 2009

Ashurst has expanded its London energy and projects practice with the hire of Antony Skinner from Linklaters as a partner. Skinner, a counsel at the magic circle firm, joins the energy and project finance group after four years at Linklaters. He was promoted to counsel earlier this year.

1 minute read

Linklaters tops global projects rankings but market plunges in first half of 2009

By Legal Week | July 16, 2009

Linklaters has edged ahead of magic circle rivals Allen & Overy (A&O) and Clifford Chance (CC) to top the global project finance rankings by market share for the first half of 2009. New research from Infrastructure Journal (IJ) shows that the firm leads the global rankings by value for the first six months of this year after scoring roles on 15 deals worth $7.623bn (£4.7bn). The tally gives the firm a market share of just over 5% - marginally ahead of CC.

1 minute read

Corporate Counsel

Five Trends Driving ESG Risks

By Shanil Williams | September 28, 2021

Companies need to be aware of global ESG matters to adequately assess potential perils and how they can manifest into liabilities.

9 minute read

The Recorder

Southern California Gas to Pay $1.8B to Resolve 35,000 Claims Over Gas Leak

By Amanda Bronstad | September 27, 2021

Monday's settlement, one of the largest environmental tort agreements in California, comes as Southern California Gas and its parent company, Sempra, faced trial in the litigation, which alleges the leak at the Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Storage Facility in Los Angeles caused medical problems and property damages for businesses and residents.

4 minute read

Corporate Counsel

Booming Clean Energy Sector Scrambles for Scarce Legal Talent

By Greg Andrews | September 27, 2021

"It is just a rat race. Everybody is trying to fill their team," executive recruiter John Gilmore said of the scramble by clean energy companies to fill legal posts.

5 minute read

The Recorder

California AG Accuses PG&E of Failing to Reimburse Cleanup Costs of Hazardous Substances From Landfill

By ALM Staff | September 24, 2021

This suit was surfaced by Law.com Radar. Read the complaint here.

1 minute read

The Recorder

Sheppard Mullin Launches ESG Team as 'Economic Prospects' Become Increasingly Visible

By Jessie Yount | September 22, 2021

"This is an opportunity to bring together environmental, social and governance issues ... many of us went to law school because we cared about those issues," Neil Popović said.

3 minute read

National Law Journal

As ESG Demand Soars, Covington Hires Former EPA Boss

By Bruce Love | September 20, 2021

"ESG has become a core part of business. Companies are being called on to prevent harm and provide solutions in the face of impending climate change," said Carol Browner.

5 minute read

New Jersey Law Journal

Powering PVSC Water Treatment Facilities in Newark: Competing Environmental Interests

By Theodore Schwartz | September 17, 2021

The limited and short-term use of natural gas to power the energy source at PVSC is a potential short-term impact which must be measured against the risk of irreparable long-term damage to our water related eco-system.

4 minute read

The Legal Intelligencer

'RACER Trust' and the Concinnity of CERCLA Sections 107 and 113

By David G. Mandelbaum | September 16, 2021

The decision to apply Section 113 or Section 107 action-by-action or settlement-by-settlement does not improve CERCLA's concinnity.

8 minute read

Law.com

Fourth Circuit Rejects Federal Jurisdiction Over Claim Against State for Loss of Private Property

By Michael W. Mitchell and Edward Roche | September 10, 2021

Fourth Circuit decision analyzes sovereign immunity as it applies to Takings Clause claims.

6 minute read

New Jersey Law Journal

Venue Dispute Seen as Decisive in Hoboken's Climate-Change Battle With Oil Companies

By Charles Toutant | September 9, 2021

Defendants in the Hoboken case are represented by a Big Law who's who, including Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison; Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher; and McGuire Woods.

5 minute read