Pinsent Masons makes senior climate change appointments

Multinational law firm Pinsent Masons has appointed two Scottish-based lawyer to senior positions in climate change related work.

Michael Watson has been named as the firm's new head of Climate Change Mitigation & Sustainability (CCMS) team, while former Ofgem general counsel Euan McVicar rejoins the firm as senior climate adviser.

Mr Watson, based in Edinburgh, was previously Pinsent Masons' head of Global Finance & Projects, and is an experienced adviser on green energy and infrastructure financings and investments, as well as a longstanding champion of the firm's sustainability and impact efforts. In the CCMS team, launched in 2020, he will lead more than 50 professionals globally, supporting clients in their bids to address the effects of climate change, and coordinating internal initiatives to reduce the firm's own environmental impact. He succeeds Paul Rice, who retired recently.

Mr McVicar, who will also be based in Edinburgh, is highly experienced in advising on areas related to climate change. A partner at Pinsent Masons for 14 years until 2013, he left to become general counsel and chair of the investment committee at the Green Investment Bank. He moved three years ago to become general counsel and executive committee member at Ofgem. 

"Our response to climate change and sustainability will be one of the defining and accelerating features of our professional and personal lives globally", Mr Watson commented.

"Euan is a fantastic addition to our team. His wealth of experience will be extremely valuable, both to our own business and to our clients, in helping to shift the dial on our climate and sustainability efforts."