Global law firm Winston & Strawn announced that it has formed a new Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Advisory Team, aimed to help boards and management teams oversee the complete spectrum of ESG-related legal and business issues.

The new team will be led by Winston & Strawn Houston-based Partners Mike Blankenship and Eric Johnson. The team will also include partners in the firm’s Chicago, New York and London offices, with expertise covering multiple areas including corporate finance, M&A, capital markets, employee matters, environmental issues, pensions, litigation, and EU law, among others. Blankenship said:

“Amid an ever-changing business environment, it’s clear that the most resilient and successful businesses are placing ESG principles at the forefront of their core values and leveraging those principles to chart a path for financial success and future growth to the benefit of all their stakeholders, including employees, customers, vendors, local communities, and stockholders.”

Winston & Strawn stated that the ESG advisory team will focus primarily on the following issues:

• ESG disclosures and messaging, including program implementation and framework selection;
• Board oversight of ESG risks and establishment of related corporate principles and values;
• Corporate governance;
• Shareholder activism;
• Regulatory compliance;
• Energy transition and renewable and alternative energy sources;
• Employee benefits and executive compensation, including incentivizing ESG-related behaviors;
• Labor and employment; and
• Crisis management.

Eric Johnson said:

“Embracing ESG principles and implementing ESG-related programs is a unique process for every organization, tied directly to each organization’s distinct cultural and brand identity. Our team works closely with clients to develop and execute ESG-related initiatives that best fit their specific needs to the benefit of all of their stakeholders.”