PHILADELPHIA – Advising on the future, today. As more and more institutional investors and operating companies view various environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues as sources of material risk and opportunity, Stradley Ronon is proud to announce the formation of its
environmental, social & governance (ESG) group.
Institutional investors, such as ERISA plans, registered investment companies, endowments, foundations and hedge funds are under increasing pressure to take ESG factors into account in their investment decisions, proxy voting and shareholder engagement processes. Investment advisers, broker-dealers and family offices are also now addressing ESG risks and opportunities with respect to their own firms in response to greater concern by clients and employees.
Operating companies are similarly sensitive to ESG. Whether it is pursuing renewable energy projects, managing environmental compliance, evaluating sustainable financing opportunities, shoring up their cybersecurity defenses, or embarking on diversity and inclusion initiatives, ESG is at the forefront for many operating companies across industries. In fact, Stradley is no different: we recently reaffirmed our commitment to diversity and inclusion, among other actions, taken to express our belief that diversity and inclusion allows us to provide the highest quality services to our clients, who are as diverse as we are.
Stradley’s ESG group offers clients a holistic approach to help clients navigate a rapidly evolving landscape of legal and regulatory developments (e.g., ERISA, Advisers Act, Clean Air Act, etc.), stewardship codes, disclosure frameworks and nongovernmental organization codes of conduct, on a wide range of ESG risks, ranging from climate change to diversity and inclusion to executive compensation to renewable energy projects to cybersecurity.
“ESG has increasingly become top-of-mind for both clients and regulators alike. I see this trend only accelerating over the coming years,” said George Michael Gerstein.
The ESG group will be led by Stradley attorneys who are experienced in a wide array of disciplines, including investment management, ERISA and fiduciary governance, environmental law and employment & labor. The Stradley attorneys who comprise the ESG group have deep capabilities in the space, including advising clients on such matters as:
- Counseling asset managers and fund boards on proxy voting policies and disclosure requirements and on the incorporation of ESG considerations into investment decision-making processes in accordance with applicable securities laws
- Assisting clients evaluate the feasibility of establishing or investing in opportunity zones
- Guiding ERISA fiduciaries on recent Department of Labor guidance regarding investment duties
- Assisting real estate clients on environmental liabilities under U.S. environmental law
- Advising clients on compliance issues related to anti-discrimination laws, including drafting policies and assisting with diversity training
- Reviewing and drafting investment policies to invest in social conscious investments
- Advising clients on federal tax considerations of renewable energy projects
For additional information, visit the
ESG group page or the ESG group’s blog (
esg-blog.com), which will regularly disseminate key developments involving ESG.
About Stradley Ronon
Counseling clients since 1926, Stradley Ronon has helped private and public companies – from small businesses to Fortune 500 corporations – achieve their goals by providing pragmatic, value-driven legal counsel. With offices in eight strategic locations, our responsive team of more than 200 attorneys seamlessly addresses the full spectrum of our clients’ needs, ranging from sophisticated corporate transactions to complex commercial litigation.