Green Ambassadors: United States

Ken Rivlin is global co-head of A&O Shearman’s environmental, climate and regulatory law practice, while also serving as elected member of the firm’s board and head of its risk committee. With longstanding expertise across sustainability & ESG, climate risk, emissions trading & decarbonization, as well as corporate reporting & disclosure, he is a leading advisor to US corporates (General Electric), financial institutions (Citi, HSBC), governments (US Department of Energy) and NGOs. For the Equator Principles Association, he is part of the team preparing the official loan documentation guidance for the 4th edition of the Equator Principals. He is also advising Summit Carbon Solutions on financing a carbon capture project.

Dedicating time to legal education, Rivlin teaches a class on ESG at Columbia Law School and is chair of the International Environmental Law committee of the NY City Bar Association, alongside serving on boards and advisory committees for other educational and non-profit institutions.

A recognized thought leader on international environmental and regulatory risk and ESG, he has recently moderated panels and webinars on topics ranging from financing the transition to key take-aways from COP27.

ESG expert David Hackett has played a vital role in the establishment of Baker McKenzie’s compliance, environmental, climate and ESG practices. He has extensive experience advising major corporations and nonprofits on compliance, risk, environmental and sustainability matters, including the evaluation and development of effective compliance and sustainability programs. A key client is the UN Global Compact US Board, for whom he handles all legal issues, including advice related to the UNGC ownership role in developing content, standards and programs related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Among his many other NGO board memberships, Hackett is a founding member of the Senior Advisory Board of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development Preparer Forum for Sustainability Disclosure and serves as board chair for WBCSD North America. He is involved in current WBCSD projects around ESG governance initiatives, soy sustainability standards, plastics programs and regulation, and sustainable finance, among others.

A frequent speaker on ESG, he has additionally published articles on ESG governance and ESG litigation.

With 25 years’ experience in the field, Stuart Hammer leads Debevoise & Plimpton’s environmental practice. Private equity firms and corporations also seek his advice on ESG issues.

Dedicated to driving change also within the firm, he additionally chairs the firm’s Green Committee, advising on internal sustainability initiatives.

Hammer frequently speaks and writes on environmental- and ESG-related issues. He sat on the steering committee for Cambridge Forums’ inaugural Forum for ESG Legal Leaders in 2022 and again in 2023, where he has led many discussions on topics ranging from working with ESG consultants to the politicization of ESG, and ESG challenges and opportunities for private equity firms.

Jason Rozes co-heads Dechert’s global sustainability practice, applying his background in commercial real estate finance to advise clients in the areas of ESG and sustainability in connection with green loans, C-PACE, green bonds, as well as energy efficiency and climate risk disclosure laws and regulations.

Extending his engagement beyond his work portfolio, Rozes serves as a steering committee member of CREFC’s sustainability initiative (the trade association for the commercial real estate finance industry). He is also a member of the Climate Reality Project’s Leadership Corps – a global community of changemakers working for just climate solutions – where he publishes his thought leadership at the intersection of climate change and commercial real estate finance.

Rozes also contributes to the firm’s own insights and reports, writing on topics such as the benefits of the commercial real estate sector going green, and New York City’s groundbreaking Local Law 97. His most recent speaking engagements have included a CREFC webinar on the impact of California climate laws on the commercial real estate industry, and a discussion about sustainability trends affecting the sector on the firm’s ‘Dechert 4 Real’ podcast.

With experience advising on the whole range of sustainability and ESG issues, Kristy Balsanek co-chairs DLA Piper’s ESG practice and assists domestic and international, private as well as public companies in their green transitions. Ongoing clients include Crocs regarding its ESG and sustainability disclosures, and multiple corporations, such as Baxter and Qualcomm, who seek advice on compliance with California’s new suite of climate-disclosure bills.

Balsanek also acts as chair of the firm’s ESG steering committee, supporting the integration of sustainability and ESG advisory services across the various practice areas and departments.

She regularly contributes to sustainability thought leadership via the firm’s bulletins, reports and other publications. Her recent speaking engagements have focused around climate change and human rights, as well as international ESG regulations.

Renewable energy expert Thomas Warren heads up Eversheds Sutherland’s clean energy projects practice. His experience ranges across the whole spectrum of clean energy projects, renewable procurement and decarbonisation strategies, with additional expertise in other ESG and sustainability-related matters such as electric vehicle charging and energy management software and solutions.

Warren also champions sustainability at the firm itself. He leads the firm’s US multidisciplinary sustainability committee, which is dedicated to implementing environmentally friendly business practices, most recently achieving the SBTi-verification of the firm’s science-based net-zero target by 2040.

Keeping clients updated and educated on the latest green transition topics, Warren regularly contributes to the firm’s news bulletins, guides and reports, and recently spoke about navigating power purchase agreements in the firm’s energy transition webinar series.

Mark Barnett co-founded Foley Hoag’s energy and climate group almost two decades ago to support clients across the energy transition. He co-chairs the practice, acting for developers and financers of clean energy infrastructure, energy technology companies, venture investors, as well as nonprofits, bringing previous experience working for a ClimateTech company.

Barnett’s engagement extends to serving as pro bono counsel to Prime Coalition, having assisted the nonprofit with the development of its Early Climate Infrastructure program. He has also advised the Environmental Defense Fund and Ceres on clean energy policy and climate mitigation investment strategies.

Apart from his thought leadership on topics spanning renewable energy project finance, clean energy policy and impact investing, he also acts as a mentor for emerging cleantech ventures through organizations such as MassChallenge and Clean Tech Open. His recent speaking engagements include a webinar on maximizing the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act, and a panel on climate tech investing at the Babson Green Finance and ESG Investing Conference. He also contributes to the firm’s energy & climate newsletter Climate Law Matters.

With over 35 years’ experience in energy and environmental law, Amy Edwards co-chairs both Holland & Knight’s climate change as well as environmental practice with a long track record in advising on the conversion of contaminated lands into new protective uses.

Notably, Edwards has been involved in climate change initiatives with the American Bar Association since 2019 (when she was chairing its section of environment, energy and resources), including the adoption of its climate change resolution under her leadership. An advocate for climate-conscious lawyers, she has been at the forefront of promoting the role of lawyers in addressing sustainability while building relationships with other international bar associations.

Edwards is also a frequent author and lecturer on brownfields, sustainability and other environmental issues. Her most recent webinars and speaking engagements at conferences have included topics ranging from greenwashing to California’s new climate disclosure laws, and the intersection between lawyers’ ethical duties and environmental justice.

At Holland & Knight, Jennifer Hernandez has three decades of experience in land use and environmental law, and co-leads the firm’s climate change team as well as heading up the West Coast land use and environmental practice. She is a renowned figure in connection with brownfields, cleanups, conservation and restoration, and advises clients ranging from the private sector to public agencies and nonprofits.

Alongside her legal work, she serves on the board of directors for California Forward, is a founding member of Californian nonprofit Sustainable Conservation, and a board member of various other organizations such as The Breakthrough Institute, The Conservation Fund, and the California League of Conservation voters.

A prolific writer of books and articles on land use, environmental and climate law, Hernandez also teaches on these topics in business schools and universities as well as for client seminars and lawyer professional associations. She has chaired a conference on climate change law in California, and has spoken on various podcasts including California Insider, Serve to Lead, and The Climate One Podcast.

A senior counsel in Linklater’s energy & infrastructure practice, Lauren Bachtel heads ups the firm’s ESG team, bringing a decade of experience in the ESG space and as former lawyer at the US Department of the Interior and American Wind Energy Association.

With her compliance and regulatory expertise, she assists clients with US federal and state ESG laws, including environmental justice and climate and carbon laws. In connection with energy and infrastructure project financings, she also advises on the application of the World Bank Environmental and Social Framework, IFC Performance Standards on Social & Environmental Sustainability, and Equator Principles, among other international standards and risk management systems.

Bachtel joined the firm in 2023 and has contributed heavily to legal updates and insights across energy and infrastructure as well as green transition and ESG topics. She has also conducted webinars and training sessions for US trade associations. In connection with Climate Week, she moderated a panel organised by the firm on the role of business leaders in transitioning to a sustainable future. Bachtel also chairs the American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy and Resources.

At McDermott Will & Emery LLP, renewable energy and private equity lawyer Carl Fleming has built a reputation for his ESG expertise. He is known for his work on significant energy transition deals, including the world’s first zinc battery financing for Pine Gate Renewables, the first hydrogen fuel transaction for hydrogen-powered trucks with Bayotech, and the first renewable natural gas debt financing in the US.

Fleming’s influence extends beyond legal practice into advisory roles at the highest levels of government. Appointed by the Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations to the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee (REEEAC), he advises the Secretary of Commerce on wind, solar, battery storage, and electric vehicles. He also chaired the White House’s first hydrogen roundtable, contributing to the US hydrogen roadmap and participating in the US-Germany hydrogen consortium.

Fleming is a prominent thought leader, regularly speaking on renewable energy and ESG, lecturing at multiple universities, and publishing and contributing to books. His insights are featured not only in the firm’s own legal updates, but also in major media outlets, including

Co-Chair of Mintz’s energy & sustainability practice, Sahir Surmeli, who is also a member of the firm’s securities as well as technology groups, has focused his practice on clean energy and sustainability matters for over two decades. With clients ranging from start-ups, investors and entrepreneurs to private and public companies, he has handled numerous venture capital and private equity financings, M&A deals, IPOs and follow-on public offerings in connection with the energy transition.

Surmeli is also a regular author for the firm’s energy and sustainability related blogs and newsletters, and has acted as moderator and speaker at the firm’s annual Energy Transition Summit. Notably, he has been recognised for influencing the cleantech sector via social media.

His engagement extends to memberships in the Innovation Task Force of the Northeast Clean Energy Council, and the MIT Energy Club. He has also been a judge at the Cleantech Open Northeast Regional Finals; a judge and Mentor Committee member at the Ignite Clean Energy: MIT Enterprise Forum Business Plan Competition; and served on the advisory board of the first annual ClimaTech conference in Boston in 2024.

Thomas R. Burton has chaired Mintz’s energy & sustainability practice since its inception in 2004. With over 25 years of experience, he has dedicated himself to clean energy and innovative technology, advising clients – from start-ups, entrepreneurs, and venture capital and private equity funds to Fortune 100 companies – across all stages of development, in venture capital and private equity financings, M&A, and IPOs. His portfolio of energy and technology clients spans a range of sectors, including solar and wind, smart grid and energy efficiency, energy storage, water technologies, waste treatment, biofuels, electric vehicles, and green buildings.

Burton’s influence is evident in his various memberships: He is on the advisory council of bluetech company SeaAhead, Dynamo Energy Hub, and the Environmental League of Massachusetts, among many others. He is also a founding and board of trustee member of the Massachusetts Housing & Climate Innovation Center.

His thought leadership is showcased in the firm’s energy and sustainability related publications, including his contributions to regular newsletters and an ESG guide for employers and stakeholders. He has also been involved in various events, such as the firm’s annual Energy Transition Summit.

At Morrison & Foerster, Susan Mac Cormac is a prominent figure in sustainability and impact investing, and co-chairs the ESG + Sustainability and Social Enterprise + Impact Investing practices. She advises companies and investors on ESG matters, corporate governance, and innovative financing structures for clean technology and renewable energy projects. Her pioneering work includes advising on the creation of the Sustainability Principles Objectives (SPO) Framework, a first-of-its-kind ESG framework, in partnership with eco-friendly sneakers maker Allbirds.

Beyond her legal work, Mac Cormac is actively engaged in shaping the sustainability landscape. She serves on the boards of the Ceres President’s Council and the Stanford Global Projects Center, contributing her expertise to drive sustainable business initiatives. She also shares her knowledge through teaching engagements at institutions like UC Berkeley and Stanford.

A recognized thought leader, Mac Cormac frequently speaks and publishes on ESG, impact investing, and corporate responsibility. Her insights are featured in both legal updates and major media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg Law.

With over 30 years’ experience, global head of Ropes & Gray LLP’s ESG, CSR and Business and Human Rights Practice, Michael Littenberg, is a recognized leader in sustainability, ESG, and corporate social responsibility matters. He advises public and private companies, investment firms, and nonprofits on developing and implementing ESG strategies, managing disclosures, and navigating regulatory requirements.

Beyond his legal practice, Littenberg actively contributes to shaping the broader ESG landscape through his involvement in industry groups and thought leadership. He has been actively involved in the development of climate disclosure legislation in several jurisdictions. As an advisor to the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and other key ESG initiatives, he has helped to set standards and best practices in corporate sustainability reporting.

Littenberg also frequently speaks at conferences, and is a prolific author and commentator on emerging ESG issues and sustainability-related regulations.

At Seyfarth Shaw LLP, Ameena Y. Majid was appointed as the firm’s first impact & sustainability partner, and founded and co-chairs the firm’s impact & ESG group. Bringing her track record in employee benefits and executive compensation, she advises companies on integrating sustainable practices into their business operations, focusing on human rights, environmental impacts, and governance issues. Her practice includes assisting clients with ESG risk assessments, compliance with global standards, and navigating evolving regulations to enhance their sustainability performance.

Majid is also a driving force for internal change, committed to advancing the integration of sustainable practices within the firm’s operations, and wider community engagement. She serves on multiple advisory boards and committees, where she helps shape industry standards and best practices in sustainability, including her board membership at Able Made, a public benefit corporation and sustainable fashion brand.

Actively involved in advancing the ESG agenda through thought leadership, education, and advocacy, Majid regularly speaks at conferences, in webinars, and podcasts, and contributes to publications on navigating the ESG landscape and other sustainability related topics.

Head of ESG and sustainability, Leah Malone at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP advises clients on navigating complex ESG regulatory requirements and integrating sustainability principles into their business strategies, particularly in the context of mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings, and corporate governance. Her clients include prominent names such as Blackrock, Mars, Cisco, and Apollo Global Management.

Malone’s thought leadership on these subjects is evident in her media interviews with Bloomberg Law, Reuters, Wall Street Journal, InvestmentNews, Politico and others. She regularly shares her expertise in webinars, and has been a speaker and moderator at conferences including the National Association for Corporate Directors’ Summit, the Society for Corporate Governance’s National Conference, Stanford’s Directors’ College, and Corporate Board Member’s Annual Boardroom Summit. Her recent contributions to publications include an article published by the Harvard Law School Forum detailing recent key decisions shaping the ESG landscape, a Thomson Reuters Westlaw article on SEC Final Climate Disclosure Rules, and commentary on the CSDDD published in Law360.