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Environmental transactions

Providing expert legal advice to help clients manage environmental risks, ensuring compliance and facilitating successful corporate, property, and financing deals.

Environmental risk management is often an important aspect of many corporate, property and financing transactions, especially with the heightened awareness and requirements of the ESG agenda.

Our environmental transactions team offers clear, practical advice to identify, reduce, and control these risks, ensuring compliance with legal obligations and supporting successful outcomes both during the contractual process and after the transaction.

Our expertise covers everything from assisting with complex contract negotiations to obtaining and interpreting environmental audits and reports, whilst we also have extensive experience in securing bespoke insurance products to safeguard against potential liabilities.

With a proven track record in sectors such as renewables, nuclear, infrastructure, the built environment and transport, our team ensures that all regulatory and commercial considerations are fully addressed.

Whether it’s a business acquisition or financing, property purchase, or goods and services trading, our clients benefit from our commitment to managing risks efficiently while maintaining a focus on their broader commercial goals.

From negotiating environmental indemnities to managing contaminated land acquisitions, our environmental transactions team provide comprehensive support and guidance.

Services

Conducting environmental due diligence

Specialist review and risk analysis of environmental issues affecting target businesses or properties.

Drafting and negotiating environmental warranties and indemnities

Expert legal drafting and negotiation services for environmental warranties and indemnities in transaction agreements.

Specialist environmental audits and reports

Obtaining, interpreting, and applying specialist environmental audits and reports for informed decision-making.

Environmental insurance products

Securing bespoke insurance products and policies to mitigate environmental risks during transactions.

Contaminated land acquisition

Advice on acquiring land with environmental concerns, ensuring compliance and managing liabilities, including drafting and negotiating remediation contracts.

Transfer of environmental permits

Guidance on the change of control and transfer of environmental permits required for ongoing operations.

Environmental liability and insolvency advice

Advice on the risks and liabilities associated with environmental issues, including in cases of insolvency.

Examples of our work

Former operator of a coal-fired power station

Advised on site remediation, environmental permit surrender, waste management, and asbestos handling in the context of a redevelopment deal. Secured a site-wide insurance policy for a ‘clean break’ post-redevelopment.

Major multinational drinks manufacturer

Advised on the environmental repercussions following a purchase of a bottling and distribution centre, addressing considerable contaminated land liabilities and securing an innovative environmental insurance policy.

Major real estate investor

Provided environmental advice on acquiring a brownfield site for residential redevelopment, focusing on remediation conditions and negotiating indemnities to protect the client from liability.

Global environmental services business

Carried out a vendor due diligence exercise to support the sale of a multi-billion-dollar environmental services group, including assessment and reporting on environmental permitting, waste management, emissions/ESOS reporting, and contamination issues.

Substantial chemicals company

Conducted environmental due diligence for a phosphates business acquisition, working with environmental consultants and negotiating comprehensive environmental warranties to mitigate risk.

The Crown Estate

Advised on purchasing a contaminated site, coordinating extensive environmental due diligence, including flood risk assessments, and negotiating contractual protections for long-term redevelopment.

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What others say

“The firm provides first-rate response times and they always keep us informed of progress and any problems with delivery.”

Chambers UK 2024

“Burges Salmon Bristol’s environmental team are well known for expertise across a wide range of environmental sectors: nuisance, industrial pollution, environmental regulation, planning, environmental assessment.”

Legal 500 UK 2024

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