At Covington & Burling LLP, Cándido García Molyneux heads up an experienced group of practitioners, specialised in advising on EU and pan-European environmental and product regulation and policy. Issues relating to biocides, fertilizers, nanomaterials, GMOs, and waste management are all regularly dealt with by the firm. Peter Bogaert is the name to note for relevant litigious work, while Bart Van Vooren leads on compliance with the Nagoya Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Leveraging a ‘depth of experience collected over many years‘, the large team at Fieldfisher takes on the gamut of advisory and contentious work relating to REACH, pesticides and biocides, as well as other related environmental law issues. Complex litigation regarding EU-level approval and registration of chemicals is a key strength. David Haverbeke heads up the broader EU regulatory department, overseeing ‘a solution-oriented group of lawyers‘ which includes key names Claudio Mereu, Koen Van Maldegem, Peter Sellar and counsel Maud Grunchard.

Mayer Brown‘s ‘outstanding’ regulatory team has a track record of litigating successfully before the Board of Appeal of the ECHA and ECtJ, as well as running product defence cases before all major relevant institutions, including the European Commission. ‘Excellent regulatory lawyer‘ Jean-Philippe Montfort also leads the firm’s global chemicals industry group. Other key senior figures include Pavlina Chopova-Leprêtre, who was promoted to partner in January 2023. The department recently strengthened its associate bench with the arrival of Nikoleta Kyriazopoulou from Hogan Lovells International LLP in August 2022, followed by Javier Saladich from Baker McKenzie CVBA/SCRL in May 2023. Thomas Delille departed the firm in October 2023.

Steptoe LLP‘s dedicated chemicals, environment and life sciences department ‘provides unique views and solutions‘ to an impressive client roster comprising large multinational companies, leading European and international trade associations, major consortia, and key agencies. Alongside its REACH-related work, the team is best known for advising on issues concerning biocides, pesticides and agricultural biotechnology. Ruxandra Cana regularly appears before both EU and national institutions and courts. Eléonore Mullier often handles cross-sectoral issues, including matters relevant to European Green Deal initiatives, such as the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability.

Bringing together public, environmental and regulatory law experts, A&O Shearman expertly handles advisory, transactional and disputes mandates relating to product regulation and supply chain management in the chemicals industry. Senior partner Gauthier van Thuyne, who heads up each of the firm’s relevant departments, is emblematic of this synergy, as is counsel Fee Goossens. REACH-related work is a particular strength, and the group is able to rely on a network covering 15 jurisdictions in Europe and the US to provide seamless cross-border advice.

As a result of its combined strength in environmental, health and safety, and regulatory law, Jones Day is seen as a go-to advisor by multinational corporations, government-owned entities and public bodies requiring assistance with complex issues spanning all these fields. The firm is able to leverage its network of nine European offices to provide fluency in both EU and local regulatory nuances. Environment team lead Ursula Schliessner and newly promoted of counsel Preslava Dilkova are both noted for their REACH expertise.

At DLA Piper, compliance and regulatory issues, product liability claims, crisis management, product withdrawal and recall matters, and related legislative processes all form part of the regular workload. Bob Martens heads up the regulatory team, bringing a wealth of experience in advising both public and private sector clients on all aspects of administrative law to the role. Alec Van Vaerenbergh, who was promoted to partner in May 2023, is another key member of the group.

The offering at Keller and Heckman LLP brings together the environmental practice, which provides regulatory advice on a broad range of products marketed in the EU, and the chemical control department, which has expertise in areas related to REACH, biocides, pesticides, and fertilisers. The key senior contact is Ales Bartl.