LEGAL ESG: EUROPE
16 OCTOBER 25 | PARIS | IN-PERSON | LEGAL ESG
As society grapples with urgent environmental, social, and governance issues, the role of the legal profession in addressing these challenges is under the microscope.
Confirm your place by August 29th and save €300
KEYNOTE:
A New Legal Ethic:
Building a European and Global Future Based on Law, Values, and Accountability
MORE
environmental, sociaL, governance
ESG is no longer optional:
it’s operational, legal, & strategic.
In Europe, ESG is entering a new phase of legal enforceability and financial accountability.
The phased implementation of CSRD, the impending transposition of CS3D, and the sweeping EU Omnibus Package are together reshaping the legal and compliance obligations of companies across sectors.
The Omnibus Package marks a major evolution in the EU’s sustainable finance framework. It tightens SFDR, streamlines the EU Taxonomy, and reinforces links between ESG data, financial disclosures, and regulatory supervision.
These changes are pushing companies beyond box-ticking exercises, requiring clearer, more comparable, and decision-useful sustainability information, subject to audit and legal liability.
This convergence of sustainability and financial regulation is placing legal teams at the center of ESG strategy.
- Regulators: Are sharpening scrutiny on green claims,
- Stakeholders: Investors, employees, consumers, and civil society are demanding credible, consistent action backed by transparent reporting and due diligence.
- Litigation Risks: A rising number of climate and ESG-related lawsuits are testing the adequacy of corporate governance and compliance programs.
Legal ESG: Europe, taking place on 16th October, 2025, at Baker McKenzie’s Paris office, is an opportunity for law firm leaders, in-house counsel, compliance professionals, and ESG experts to come together, learn from each other, confront the challenges on the horizon, and commit to a future where ESG is a fundamental element of corporate strategy and legal practice.
The question facing business leaders and legal advisors is not if ESG should be prioritized, but how to operationalize it effectively, in full compliance, under growing scrutiny, and aligned with long-term value creation.
Join the discussion, prepare for what’s next, and ensure that your organization is ready for this new chapter of ESG.
Confirm your place by August 29th and save $300
Super Early Bird Registration:
Confirm your place by August 29th and save €300
Key Highlights
WHAT TO EXPECT
Global Shifts: Trump 2.0, Geopolitics, Risk & Regulation
Explore the global political and economic shifts reshaping ESG progress. A leading voice in human rights and sustainability will examine the implications of geopolitical turbulence and evolving regulations on corporate ESG strategy.
The Omnibus Package: What it Means for CSRD / CSDDD
Get clarity on the EU’s evolving regulatory landscape as experts unpack the implications of the Omnibus Package for the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive.
EU ESG Agenda: Omnibus & Draghi Insights
Leading legal minds from across Europe debate the interplay between industrial policy and sustainability, analyzing how current EU strategies may converge—or conflict—with ESG objectives.
Sustainable Finance: Legal and Regulatory Trends
Dive into the legal frameworks shaping sustainable finance. Learn how financial regulations are evolving to support ESG priorities and how counsel can navigate emerging compliance demands.
In-House Counsel and ESG: Managing Rapidly Evolving Expectations
Discover how in-house legal teams are adapting to the escalating complexity of ESG. Hear how top counsel are aligning legal strategy with sustainability, risk, and stakeholder expectations.
Antitrust and Sustainability: Barrier or Catalyst?
Join leading competition law experts as they explore whether antitrust frameworks hinder or enable collaboration on sustainability goals—highlighting key cases and legal interpretations.
ESG Within Law Firms: Operationalizing Purpose and Values
Law firms are not just advising on ESG—they are living it. This session examines how firms are embedding ESG principles into their operations, navigating client expectations, and communicating purpose in a complex landscape.
DEI in Focus: Implementing EU Directives on Pay and Board Diversity
Legal experts from across Europe assess the implementation of new EU directives on pay transparency and gender diversity on boards, discussing enforcement, best practices, and regional challenges.
Our Speaking Faculty
Hear from leading minds advising on ESG progress throughout Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
Dr Alexandra von Westernhagen
Human-Centered EU Business Policies (Sustainability, AI/Digital, Competition) & EU/Supranational Citizenship Law, Board Member GAIL, Visiting Professor, Citizen of the World
AGENDA
16 OCTOBER, 2025
Registration / Breakfast
Chairperson's Opening Remarks
CHAIRPERSON
Pamela Cone, Founder & CEO,
Amity Advisory, Practice Leader,
Legal ESG, Inside Practice
KEYNOTE SESSION
A New Legal Ethic:
Building a European and Global Future Based on Law, Values, and Accountability
SPEAKER
Dr Alexandra von Westernhagen
Human-Centered EU Business Policies (Sustainability, AI/Digital, Competition) & EU/Supranational Citizenship Law, Board Member GAIL, Visiting Professor, Citizen of the World
OVERVIEW
As trust in democratic institutions falters and ESG faces global pushback, lawyers must fulfill their obligation as stewards of the public interest - educating and guiding clients with purpose-driven advice, grounded in ethics and universal values. While Europe has been at the forefront of ESG developments, with its unique legal tradition and leadership role in shaping ESG frameworks, the challenges we face are global. Climate fragility, democratic erosion, and regulatory fragmentation do not stop at borders - and neither can our response.
Lasting impact demands cross-border cooperation, global alignment, and independent review mechanisms. This keynote calls for a renewed legal ethos - anchored in justice, sustainability, and shared values - that empowers the legal profession in Europe and beyond to uphold ESG not merely as a matter of compliance, but as a foundation for global accountability.
The Omnibus Package Update:
What does this mean for CSRD / CSDDD.
SPEAKER
Pierre Berlioz, Professor,
Universite Cite in Paris
OVERVIEW
This session will provide a practical update on key EU legislative developments impacting businesses: the Omnibus Directive, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). We’ll break down what’s finalized, what’s still evolving, and what these initiatives mean for compliance, transparency, and supply chain responsibilities.
Networking AM Coffee Break
Corporate Governance and Anti-Corruption: Lessons from Sapin II in France
SPEAKERS
Michel Sapin, Former French Minister of Finance, Labor Minister and "father" of the Sapin II law
Valentina Lana, Professor at the School of Law of Sciences Po, Marshall Memorial Fellow
OVERVIEW
Given today’s tumultuous economic environment – and geopolitical challenges, what can the EU (and the rest of the world) learn from Sapin II – the law addressing corporate governance and anti-corruption in France – 9 years after its adoption?
EU ESG Agenda:
Omnibus & Draghi Insights-– The State of Play in Europe / Industrial Policy vs. Sustainability-– or are they aligned? Perspectives from throughout Europe
MODERATOR
Christopher Mesnooh, Partner, Fieldfisher
Panelists:
Jacquelyn MacLennan, Hon. Professor,
University of Edinburgh Law School
Elodie Valette, BCLP, Paris
Additional Panelists TBA
OVERVIEW
A pan-European panel analyzes the EU’s evolving ESG agenda-– from the “Omnibus” legislative package to insights from Mario Draghi’s industrial strategy vision. Panelists will demystify the Omnibus package, an initiative aimed at streamlining sustainability regulations and reducing red tape in line with Draghi’s recommendations for boosting European competitiveness.
They will also discuss how Draghi’s report on European competitiveness calls for balancing ambitious ESG goals with economic practicality. This discussion will illuminate the implications of these high-level policies for corporate compliance, legal practice, and governance across EU member states.
The State of Diversity, Inclusion, Equity: Implementing the EU Directives on Pay Transparency and Women on Boards
MODERATOR
Natacha LeSellier, Partner, Flichy Grangé Avocats
PANELISTS:
Ciara O'Kennedy, Partner Employment, Pensions and Employee Benefits, Byrne Wallace Shields, Ireland
Alina Gizejovoska, Partner in Labour Law, Civil Law & Social Insurance,
Sobczyk Law Firm, Poland
OVERVIEW
This session explores the evolving legal and political landscape surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the EU.
With the adoption of the Pay Transparency Directive and the Women on Boards Directive, EU companies face new obligations—and opportunities—to advance workplace equity. Legal and ESG experts will discuss compliance challenges, implementation strategies, and the broader implications of these directives for corporate governance and culture across multiple geographies and jurisdictions.
Networking Lunch
Sustainable Finance:
The State of Play
SPEAKER
Iris Barsan,
Counsel, Baker McKenzie
OVERVIEW
A candid examination of what it takes to integrate sustainability into investment decisions and financial deals-– and the hurdles encountered along the way. In this presentation, Iris Barsan draws on real-world experience to address the legal and practical challenges of sustainable financing today.
Topics include navigating complex regulations (like EU sustainable finance rules and taxonomy requirements), overcoming internal resistance or “greenwashing” concerns, and balancing fiduciary duties with ESG goals. The session offers strategies for lawyers and investors to manage risks and seize opportunities in aligning capital with sustainability.
PANEL DISCUSSION
The Client Perspective: How In-House Counsel are Managing ESG Dynamics and Rapidly Evolving Expectations
PANELISTS
Gabriel Webber Zeiro, Senior Legal Counsel, Compliance, Swiss Re
Huma Allana van Reesch, General Counsel, EMEA, Starbucks
Sophie Levy, Regulatory and Litigation Counsel, Privacy,
Google
OVERVIEW
What are clients really seeking from their legal partners when it comes to ESG?
In this session, a panel of in-house counsel and experts provides a client-side perspective on pressing ESG challenges. They will unpack how businesses grapple with new compliance obligations, stakeholder pressures for transparency, and the quest for genuine social impact-– and what they expect from law firms in response.
From efficient regulatory guidance to proactive risk management and strategic advice, attendees will learn how to better align legal services with evolving client ESG expectations.
PANEL DISCUSSION
Antitrust /Competition Law: Barrier to Sustainability Initiatives?
Moderator:
Jacquelyn McLennan, Professor, University of Edinburgh School of Law
PANELISTS
Simon Holmes, Visiting Professor in Law, Oxford University, Member, UK Competition Appeal Tribunal
Maurits Dolmans,
Senior Counsel, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
OVERVIEW
Businesses and industry groups collaborating on sustainability goals now face a critical legal question: can antitrust and competition laws hinder these collective efforts?
This session explores the legal tensions between cooperative environmental initiatives and traditional competition law frameworks. Legal experts and industry leaders will examine recent enforcement trends, emerging regulatory guidance, and practical approaches for aligning sustainability collaboration with antitrust compliance.
Networking PM Coffee Break
EU Deforestation Regulation Update
SPEAKER
Bruno Galvão, Special Counsel,
Blomstein
OVERVIEW
With the imminent implementation date for the EU Deforestation Regulation, are companies ready? We will explore this topic from all angles - from the producer side, from the importer, but also from the trader.
What does the EU Deforestation Regulation mean for EU Companies?
PANEL DISCUSSION
Driving Impact: The Role of Supply Chain and Procurement in Advancing Sustainability and ESG Objectives
MODERATOR
Orazio Difruscolo, Procurement Director
Panelists
Miriam Wrobel, FTI Consulting, Senior Managing Director
Louisa Engels, Counsel Advocaat,
CMS
OVERVIEW
Supply chains are at the heart of corporate sustainability. This session explores how legal, compliance, and procurement teams can work together to embed ESG principles into sourcing, supplier engagement, and risk management. Experts will examine regulatory pressures, such as due diligence and human rights requirements, alongside practical strategies for advancing climate, labor, and ethical sourcing goals. Learn how procurement can become a powerful lever for ESG transformation across complex global operations.
CLOSING DISCUSSION
Ethics, the Rule of Law, and the Role of the Legal Profession
MODERATOR
Dr. Alexandra von Westernhagen, Human Centered EU Business Policies & EU/Supranational Citizenship Law, Board Member GAIL, Visiting Professor, Citizen of the World
PANELISTS
Miriam Wrobel, Senior Managing Director, FTI Consulting
Pierre Berlioz, Professor, Universite Cite in Paris
Valentina Lana, Professor at the School of Law of Sciences Po, Marshall Memorial Fellow
OVERVIEW
With increasing corruption and ethics challenges globally, how do lawyers advise and influence to ensure the Rule of Law? Given the challenges to the Rule of Law globally, how do lawyers act with agency and urgency?
The legal profession holds a central and profound role in shaping a just, equitable, and sustainable society. It is the responsibility of legal professionals to uphold the law with the ethical duty to ensure that laws and their application contribute to the greater good of society.
Our profession stands at a crossroads, where its potential to effect positive societal change is immense. Whether through policy reform, litigation, or public advocacy, or through our client advice, the role of the legal
Chairperson’s Closing Remarks
CHAIRPERSON
Pamela Cone, Founder & CEO, Amity Advisory, Practice Leader, Legal ESG, Inside Practice
Networking Reception
Join the Conversation
Join us to discuss ESG and sustainability for Legal ESG Europe, the key event shaping the future of ESG law. Hosted by Baker McKenzie, this conference will cover regulatory change, AI, talent, and more.
Stay tuned—speakers and panels coming soon!
Early Bird: Confirm your place by August 29th and save €300
REGISTRATION
Corporate Counsel, Operations, ESG
€795
€495 through 31st July
Access to all Legal ESG Europe conference sessions, networking, and community events for 1 person
Law Firm
Legal Services
€995
€695 through 31st July
Access to all Legal ESG Europe conference sessions, networking, and community events for 1 person
Solution Providers
€1,295
€995 through 31st July
Access to all Legal ESG Europe conference sessions, networking, and community events for 1 person