The firm adds major environmental, products and chemicals regulatory capabilities in Europe.
Squire Patton Boggs has hired a team of seven lawyers for its Environmental, Safety & Health (ESH) Practice in Europe.
Partners Peter Sellar and Gerard McElwee, director Manon Ombredane, senior associate Aodhan McGourty, and associates Elise Van Gerven, Maria-Magdalena Markova and Nayelly Landeros, join the firm’s Brussels office. The team joins from the EU Regulatory Group of another international law firm in Brussels.
Jonathan Jones, European managing partner, commented: “We’re delighted to welcome Peter and Gerard and their colleagues. This appointment establishes our own fully-fledged chemicals, environmental and products team right in the heart of Europe. We currently have one of the leading environmental regulatory practices in the legal sector, with specialists in chemicals, public policy and ESG. This group hire takes our capabilities to a whole new level: greater strength in depth to support clients in a wider range of industries, from chemicals to consumer goods, and advise them at any point in the product lifecycle - from manufacture, compliance and supply chain to sustainability and reporting.”
Peter Gould, global head of the ESH Practice, said: “Peter, Gerard and the team are welcome and dynamic additions to our group. With the regulatory context for clients highly technical and quite fluid, we’ve seen significant growth in international demand for expert chemicals regulatory advice, such as on the PFAS restriction and the REACH revision. In addition, there are the increasing ESG requirements, on which our ESH, Public Policy and Chemicals teams are collectively leading the market. Peter, Gerard and their team complement our existing expertise and know-how and strengthen both our product regulatory expertise, from chemicals to medical and food law, and our contentious capabilities for EU-wide advocacy and court representation at the highest levels.”
Bart Vanderstraete, managing partner of the Brussels office, “Welcome to the new team. This group hire of seven lawyers is a significant boost to our office. Our firm’s first international office, Brussels is at the heart of what is a core market for Squire Patton Boggs. Our credentials in the regulatory sphere are now second to none and position us as a key player in advising on ESG matters across industries. Our clients face increasingly complex regulatory landscapes, and this addition will allow us to provide cutting-edge solutions to meet these challenges head-on. As ESG regulations continue to develop, we are committed to helping our clients not just comply but lead in sustainability and corporate responsibility initiatives.”
Mr. Sellar has more than 25 years' experience as an EU regulatory law specialist. He focuses on the circular economy and sustainability, particularly EU product law, including general chemicals, biocides and pesticides, eco-design, electronic and electrical equipment, cosmetics, medical devices and medical products law. He has extensive experience of EU-wide advocacy campaigns as well as litigation before the Courts of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in Luxembourg, including the seminal success regarding the unlawful classification of a chemical.
Mr. Sellar has practised in Brussels at national and international law firms since 1999. He has also served as Référendaire at the CJEU, as Head of Competition and Regulatory, Insurance at Lloyds Banking Group in Edinburgh, and for five years at the Faculty of Advocates in Edinburgh. He speaks English, French and German, and is a graduate of the universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh and the College of Europe in Bruges. He is also highly ranked by Chambers and Legal 500.
Mr. McElwee advises on EU regulatory law, focusing on chemicals, the circular economy and sustainability, and general product compliance and liability. He brings deep expertise in chemical regulations, including REACH, biocides, pesticides, cosmetics, detergents, and CLP. In the realm of circular economy and sustainability, he provides strategic counsel on a broad spectrum of issues, such as packaging, single-use plastics, RoHS/WEEE, waste management, water conservation, green claims, eco-design, and deforestation, helping clients navigate complex regulatory landscapes with precision and foresight. Alongside compliance matters and strategic risk management, Mr. McElwee has extensive experience litigating before the ECJ, European agencies and national courts.
Fluent in English and French, Mr. McElwee trained originally in Dublin and has worked in Brussels since 2012. Ranked highly for EU Regulatory work by Chambers, he is also dual EU-UK qualified through his admission to the role of solicitors in Ireland, England & Wales, and his admission to the Brussels Bar (A-list).
Commenting on their move, Mr. Sellar said, “Squire Patton Boggs combines environmental, safety and health and chemicals expertise with public policy skills and a global footprint. I can’t think of another law firm that has such a perfect combination of strategic resources for businesses in our areas of practice,” and Mr. McElwee added, “It’s a natural home for us. Our team will thrive with colleagues who fully understand complex environmental compliance, anticipate legislative change and can mitigate clients’ risks.”
The hire of the new team follows the appointment of Thomas Delille in the EU Public Policy Practice in Brussels and Paris in November 2023.
This news story was originally published on the firm’s website.