Climate change specialist and Power Lawyer Simon Watt has joined Clifton Chambers in Wellington after a two decade period as a partner at Bell Gully.
Recognized by the Chambers legal directory as one of the top-tier public lawyers in New Zealand, he is also regarded as the nation’s leading climate change attorney and has been recognised in the LawFuel Power List as one of the foremost experts for his expertise.
In 2020 he was one of only 18 lawyers recognised by the Chambers Directory as being a climate change expert.
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Among his recent achievements he played a pivotal role at Bell Gully when the firm advised the EECA on funding agreements with New Zealand Steel, enabling the electrification of half of its steel production and resulting in a 1 percent reduction in New Zealand’s carbon emissions.
At Bell Gully he also assisted with Fonterra to enhance its targeted emissions reductions to an ambitious 50 percent by 2030.
During the pandemic, he spearheaded contract negotiations to secure New Zealand’s portfolio of Covid-19 vaccines. His expertise extends to extensive involvement in electricity regulation, including his contributions to the development of the new transmission pricing methodology.
He has served as the Probity Adviser for the government’s procurement efforts related to ultra-fast broadband, public-private partnerships, social housing, housing infrastructure, and regional hospital redevelopments.
