Lucy Bruce Jones
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Lucy Bruce Jones
Biography
Lucy Bruce Jones is a health, safety and environment lawyer based in London. Her experience is strengthened by her background in civil and environmental engineering.
Her practice includes strategic advice to in-house legal teams and corporate boards on HSE issues which also encompassed those arising as a result of COVID-19. She advises on both non-contentious transactional deals and developments and on contentious matters as well as on regulatory and product liability issues. Her clients span all industries and sectors including built environment, manufacturing, energy, infrastructure, mining and minerals, transport and technology. She has extensive experience of dealing with the regulatory authorities such as the Environment Agency, Health and Safety Executive and Marine Management Organisation.
Lucy is a core member of the firm's London ESG advisory services group and has been advising on sustainability issues for a number of years.
Professional experience
Representative experience
Representative experience
Environment
- Acting on a high profile international group litigation claim (up to 500 claimants) involving alleged pollution of rainforest in the Amazon basin on behalf of an international oil company.
- Advising DP World since 2008 in relation to the remediation of a historic oil refinery and development of Europe's largest deep sea container port and logistics park at London Gateway. This £1.5 billion development involves one of the largest remediation projects in Europe including the translocation of 350,000 animals and the creation of a new 41 acre nature reserve. Providing advice and support regarding all environmental and health and safety issues including complex remediation schemes, remediation liability, transactional protections and consenting issues relevant to the development.
- Acting for national homebuilder in relation to the first "special site" identified under the new contaminated land regime including groundwater contamination issues. The decision of the Secretary of State was subject to lengthy judicial review and was a precedent making case. We continue to advice on the remediation notice requirements for the site.
- Advising on EcoWorld's £1.1 billion acquisition and joint venture with Ballymore to develop 3000 luxury apartments across 3 prime London sites, in particular on the residual environmental liabilities in relation to the historic contaminative uses of the sites e.g. one was a former gas works.
Health and Safety
- Advising DP World on health and safety issues arising out of incidents relating to the development of a £1.5 billion container port at the former Shell Oil Refinery Site on the Thames ("London Gateway").
- Advising hazardous waste companies re new requirements under compliance regimes such as REACH.
- Advising a national concrete pumping firm in relation to the fatality of an employee at a construction site and the resultant HSE investigation and prosecution including advising on directors' and officers' liability.
- Advising a national rail company in relation to an investigation by the Rail Regulator for alleged anti-competitive provision of health and safety training.
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
- Advising on the environmental and social requirements stemming from standards such as Equator Principles 4 in the financing documentation for Ivanhoe's greenfield Platreef platinum mine in South Africa. We are advising the lenders on the US$1bn financing. On completion, the project is expected to be the world's largest producer of platinum-group metals, with an anticipated production of more than 1.2 million ounces of platinum-group metals per year.
- Advising the Ministry of Finance of Angola on the financing of commercial contracts for the design and construction of an expansion of a University in Angola in particular on the environmental and social requirements stemming from standards such as Equator Principles 4.
- Advising Atrato Onsite Energy plc, a newly incorporated UK investment trust established to invest in a diversified portfolio of onsite renewable energy assets, on its initial public offering (IPO) and the admission of its shares to the premium segment of the FCA's Official List and to trading on the London Stock Exchange's main market for listed securities. The Company's IPO, which was oversubscribed, raised its target of £150 million.
Energy from Waste
- Lucy has advised various clients regarding a number of waste to energy development projects in the UK, including innovative technology which included an assessment of environmental risk upon land acquisition, planning implementation of appropriate remedial works and liaison with all relevant regulatory authorities, application for all necessary Environmental Permits (including unique permitting solutions for hitherto unused technology in the UK) and other operational consents. Such work has included a consideration of habitat and conservation issues, biodiversity, and sustainability.
- Advising Full Circle Generation Limited on its 14.75MW Energy from Waste project in Belfast in relation to on-going issues regarding the commissioning of this 120,000 tonnes per annum waste-to-electricity facility.
- Advising the Urbaser/Balfour Beatty consortium on the PFI project for a residual waste treatment contract with Essex County Council which encountered commissioning and operational issues including sensitive health and safety matters.
Offshore projects
- Advising Greencoat UK Wind plc over £1 billion on UK offshore farms, on the 25% stake in Walney I and II deal and the 49% stake in Humber Gateway deal in the North Sea with a capacity of 219MW one of the largest operating offshore windfarms in the world. The work involved advising on environmental and associated licensing aspects and compliance of the corporate transaction, including due diligence, reporting, and the negotiation of the transaction documents.
- Advising a consortium of 29 lenders and 3 export credit agencies on the financial close of the first two phases of Dogger Bank offshore wind farm. When complete in 2026, it will be the world's largest offshore wind farm. Dogger Bank is a joint venture between Equinor and SSE. When all three phases are complete it will have a projected output of 18TWh equal to 5% of UK electricity demand. Work involved confirming the relevant development consents, electricity licences, marine licences and other consents and permissions had been obtained for the projects and identifying the status of compliance and discharge of the conditions attaching to them. Also advised on issues identified on the Habitats Risk Assessments for the projects.
- Advising in relation to the construction of the Sheringham Shoal wind farm off the North Norfolk Coast. The work included negotiation with the MMO and Natural England in relation to Marine Licensing (and FEPA licensing) issues in relation to alleged Marine Licence infringements during the construction phase. Also included negotiation in relation to ongoing monitoring and assessment requirements post-completion.
Product Safety and Regulation
- Advising a global pushchair manufacturer on a product defect and the associated replacement programme and global regulatory notification in numerous jurisdictions.
- Advising a global engine manufacturer in relation to EU and UK emission compliance matters.
- Advising Vodafone on their pan European obligations in relation to WEEE compliance and advising on their procurement process and liabilities.
Rankings and recognitions
Rankings and recognitions
Next Generation Partner, Real estate: Environment (London), The Legal 500, 2023
- "great, clever and pragmatic"
- (part of) "a strong team with an in-depth knowledge of the industry, great commercial awareness; leaders in diversity able to understand clients from jurisdictions around the world – as a result. Team work is excellent."
Lawyer to watch, Environment, Chambers & Partners UK, 2022
- "very responsive and a pleasure to work with."
Admissions
Admissions
- Solicitor, qualified in England & Wales
- Solicitor, qualified in Ireland
Publications
Publications
Regular contributions in the Environment update section in PLC Magazine.
Writes for a variety of external publications on topical matters.
Speaking engagements
Speaking engagements
Lucy is a frequent speaker on HSE matters and a wider range of topics (which increasingly has involved ESG training to clients) and writes for external publications.
Memberships and activities
Memberships and activities
- United Kingdom Environmental Law Association: Trustee on Council and Company Secretary
- Legal Sustainability Alliance (a not-for-profit sustainability network run by law firms for law firms): Meeting and seminar participant
- The Aldersgate Group (a politically impartial, multi-stakeholder alliance championing an environmentally sustainable economy): Meeting and seminar participant
- Norton Rose Fulbright Sustainability Committee: Member