Kirkland adds ESG and impact partner

Kirkland and Ellis has appointed Rhys Davies as a partner in the firm’s ESG and impact practice group, based in London.

Davies joins from DLA Piper where he was made partner in 2017 and led the firm’s international sustainability and ESG efforts since 2020. He came to DLA in 2007 as a solicitor after a year as an articled clerk at the Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation.

In the course of his practice, Davies advises private equity, public companies and project sponsors on the design and implementation of ESG strategies across several sectors, including energy and natural resources, infrastructure, real estate and technology. Additionally, he counsels clients on environmental and social regulatory matters in both transactions and administrative proceedings.

“Rhys is a talented lawyer with extensive experience in counselling clients on the evolving ESG regulatory landscape, including the EU’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation, which is a key focus for our global sponsor client base,” commented Alexandra Farmer, a partner and leader of Kirkland’s ESG and impact practice. “His regulatory experience is underpinned by a strong foundational knowledge of the substance of ESG built through counselling clients on topics such as climate change, biodiversity and human rights.”

“I am thrilled to join Kirkland and eager to contribute to the firm’s work in the ESG space,” added Davies. “Kirkland’s exceptional team and the diverse client base interested in ESG are among the many reasons I was drawn to Kirkland for the next chapter of my career.”