Taking part in this film ticked all the boxes – A Responsible Business: A Green Sustainable Approach.  As we spoke , themes and ideas were developed, and we quickly realised that this was more than an opportunity to explain how we, as lawyers, fit into this net zero energy targeted world, but it was an opportunity to share our lawyers’ passions and specialisms about the sectors that they care about. These areas in which they have developed years of expertise and grown their knowledge within their industry, in tandem with the pace and change of technologies and legal horizons across international jurisdictions.

The expertise within Castletown Law is generated through its lawyers and their passions for their specialist areas. Many of our lawyers are from well-known top legal firms or global practices, having established themselves as respected leading lawyers in their fields.  Each of our team has in excess of 10 years’ experience in the industry and together, across their specialisms, we are able to provide solutions for our clients.  

We are specialists in commercial and corporate law as applied in the energy, utilities, infrastructure, aviation, transport and defence sectors. As part of this we get involved in leading edge projects, for example for regeneration, deploying new technologies and new structures for those sectors we are involved in. We provide commercial legal advice – meaning we use our experience to ask intelligent questions of the client and help guide them to the outcomes they want as part of their team. Our clients like the fact that we are all experienced lawyers located across a number of jurisdictions focused only on the energy and infrastructure sector. 

The breadth of our practice gives us access to multiple opportunities and ideas which may be of value to our clients. We have experience in delivering projects in multiple international jurisdictions, adapting to the needs of the project in the local environment. This experience allows us to “join the dots” and see how a solution may be applied from the range of our clients’ capabilities to a particular problem that government, local government, agency or another client may be struggling with. 

We are focused on decarbonising the environment of our planet. In some instances, we drive the initiative such as producing a film or creating guidebooks to dispel the mis-information disseminated about nuclear power for decades. We often take a supportive position for clients, so we will support clients to get to a specific stage in a project based on agreed objectives and timelines. We recognise the reality that many advanced technology clients need support on legal matters, before they have the money to pay for that advice. Our team has many years of experience in supporting clients in this way. 

Renewable energy is an area where like nuclear, we have the capability to work at the leading edge, whether on new technologies, new methods of deploying existing technology, or traditional projects we fit around the client’s needs. We have been involved in projects from leading edge hydrogen projects in Orkney, to embryonic discussions on robotic sub-sea cable inspection and repair. We advised on the bid to win the floating offshore wind platform design, by a Dutch client and worked on the first production sized floating offshore wind platform on Hywind Tampen. Our depth of experience allows us to know and anticipate the twists and turns that complex project architecture takes. Solar has involved us in many interesting projects, like when we assisted with developing an  idea for containerised solar energy production, to allow localised power enabling, schools, clinics, computer use and clean water supplies.

In economic and urban regeneration, we have worked on many projects, the largest of which is the Purfleet on Thames project which started after two previous failed attempts to structure a viable project. It is now progressing and is in delivery after 10 years.

We approach all our projects with the same working ethos regardless of project size or sector. Our approach has delivered us successes and long-term client relationships. We would say our approach is unique, others might argue ‘we do that’ but it is the combination of the many facets of what we do and how we do it, that makes us different and provides our long-term client relationships. 

Castletown Law – How We Work – Our Approach

• One of the strengths of Castletown Law is our experience in delivering projects in multiple international jurisdictions, adapting to the needs of the project in the local environment. We don’t subcontract or delegate to local lawyers or firms, we take responsibility for delivering the service the client needs to deliver the project. 

• We become part of the client’s team and take responsibility for the scope we are charged with. We don’t simply quote the law and leave the client to decide – we become part of the client’s decision-making process at all levels and make ourselves accessible to all in the client team. It is this approach that our clients tell us binds us into relationships with them because we take the time to understand their business and to make sure their business is protected in the environment it is operating in. 

• Our approach takes more than just legal knowledge; it needs a real understanding of what it takes to make projects work in any given jurisdiction. It needs the understanding and foresight of pending and future changes – actual and potential – in the particular jurisdiction and internationally, and a way of explaining the risks arising from that perspective to the client which is clear and understandable. It needs a deep understanding of the sector we work in.

• We do not make the assumption that everyone should understand English language and English law, but rather that clarity of expression and respect for local law in the context of international projects is a critical factor.  

• All our lawyers are senior professionals and we give direct advice at senior level – we do not delegate downwards. We work through long term structured relationships with fellow professionals we know we can rely on to work in the way we do and who will respect the need to deliver excellence in service to clients.

Finally, as an established digital and international practice, we can operate anywhere in the world and have lawyers based in many locations. Very early, before the pandemic, we adopted a Zoom-call culture, because we believed it was a better way to work with clients across the world, rather than waiting to catch planes and trains to attend meetings in person. This has worked to our advantage in maintaining connections with clients and alliance firms internationally. We do, of course, travel and meet clients face to face when the need arises.  In short, we recognise the importance of striking the right balance.

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