New partner: Claire Smith

Claire Smith is a specialist in environment, planning and climate change law and has practised in both Australia and the UK. Prior to joining Clayton Utz in 2005, she was a Senior Associate at Allen & Overy LLP in London where she provided strategic environment and climate change advice and drafted and negotiated complex environmental indemnities, warranties, representations and undertakings on a range of multi-national transactions, IPOs and securitisations.

She commenced her legal career as a barrister at the London Bar practising in a specialist planning and environment chambers and was involved in several high profile environment impact assessment and judicial review cases in the High Court. In addition to her legal expertise, Claire has worked as an environmental consultant in Australia and gained an Master of Philosophy in Environment & Development from the University of Cambridge which provides her with an extremely useful technical skills that allows her to fully engage with consultants.

Between 2007 and 2008 she was a global environment counsel for BP Plc. She was principal legal advisor to the Global Remediation Group and advised on a range of matters across BP's contaminated sites portfolio in the UK, Australia, Europe and Africa. She also advised on various renewable energy and carbon capture storage projects. She was legal tag on numerous environment, health and safety (EHS) compliance audits of BP's highest risk facilities in Australia, the UK and Europe and provided legal advice on developing BP's Operating Management System and associated EHS policies.