Leonie is a senior associate specialising in ESG (environmental, social and governance) and sustainable financing.
She advises companies and funds on matters relating to sustainability reporting and due diligence, particularly pursuant to the SFDR, EU Taxonomy, CSRD, ISSB and CSDDD. She also advises on the review of external communications to analyse clients’ greenwashing and social-washing risk profiles and the development, implementation and maintenance of resilient ESG frameworks. Her other focus lies on sustainable and impact investing in illiquid asset classes and the implementation of the EU Sustainable Finance framework for funds and asset managers across Europe.
Before moving to focus on ESG, Leonie was a finance lawyer advising lenders, borrowers, sponsors, ECAs and governments on structured finance transactions including project finance, acquisition finance and real estate finance in a variety of sectors, both in the Iberian market and in emerging markets.
In the past decade, she has worked as external counsel in Latin America, the United Kingdom and continental Europe, giving her an insight into the cultural and business considerations faced by clients operating in these markets.
Background
She has a dual degree in Law and International relations by the University of Sussex (UK) and a master's degree in Public international law (LLM) by Leiden University (The Netherlands). She speaks English, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Italian. She is a member of the Ilustre Colegio de la Abogacía de Madrid (ICAM – Madrid Bar Association), the Law Society of England and Wales and the Law Society of Ireland.
Experience & expertise
Selected matters
- a Spanish asset manager on the implementation of SFDR and Taxonomy, and drafting information for various Article 8 and 9 capital and private equity funds domiciled in Luxembourg and Spain
- an international manufacturing company on CSRD/ESRS and IFRS S1-S2 eligibility, readiness, and implementation
- an ESG rating provider in a horizon-scanning exercise of regulation specific to ESG data providers and ratings organizations which could apply in their core areas of operation
- an European asset manager on the transformation of their energy transition fund into an Article 9 SFDR fund, including advice on the qualification of current investments as sustainable/taxonomy-aligned investment and assistance with the drafting of internal and external documentation
- a global professional association on the establishment of its ESG framework, including the development and implementation of governance structures, policies and ESG risk management procedures
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