Regions / United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Here you will find all the latest information for the United Kingdom. This includes upcoming events, news and insights.
United Kingdom Insights and Events
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Legal Charter 1.5 and Save the Children Global Ventures: A Pioneering Legal-Climate Partnership
Discover how top UK law firms are reshaping climate action through a groundbreaking partnership with Save the Children, combining legal expertise, carbon finance, and child-focused impact in Kenya in this new article by GAIL UK.
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Purposeful Contracting: Maximising Positive Outcomes and Minimising Risk
This session explores how contracts can be designed to support positive social and environmental impact, focusing on innovative approaches like social outcomes contracts, impact investment agreements, offtake contracts, and manufacturing deals. David Frydlinger and Sarah Ellington discuss the challenges of balancing flexibility, risk, and accountability in these impact-driven contracts, highlighting the importance of relational contracting…
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Better Society Capital reaches £1 billion investments into social enterprises and charities across the UK
We’re excited to highlight a major milestone by our member, Better Society Capital (BSC), which has now invested £1 billion into over 3,750 charities and social enterprises across the UK, alongside an additional £2.9 billion in co-investment from new partners.
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New report provides toolkit to turbocharge investment into development and climate finance
We are proud to highlight a major achievement by one of our members: British International Investment (BII), in collaboration with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), has released a groundbreaking report that could transform how private capital flows into emerging markets. Find out more here.
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A New Climate Solution for Law Firms: Lessons from the SCGV/ Legal Charter 1.5 Collaboration (MEMBER-ONLY)
Join us for a compelling session on a pioneering climate initiative that’s setting a new standard for the legal profession. “A New Climate Solution for Law Firms: Lessons from the SCGV/Legal Charter 1.5 Collaboration” will explore how eight leading UK law firms came together to fund a high-impact carbon offsetting project focused on restoring soil…
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GAIL Summit 2025
Join leading impact lawyers from around the world in Mexico City at the Global Alliance of Impact Lawyers’ Summit on 13 – 15 October 2025. Register now.

Sarah Ellington
Chair GAIL UK Board
Partner, Watson Farley & Williams
Sarah Ellington has significant and varied experience in cross-border disputes and crisis management for governments, governmental agencies and international organisations, as well as multinational corporations, particularly in relation to ESG, technology and fraud.
She helps clients obtain successful outcomes within a number of procedural frameworks including courts, arbitration, mediation, UN complaints (Special Procedure Mandates), OECD complaints to National Contact Points (Specific Instances) and private grievance mechanisms.
Sarah advises clients on risk management and governance issues associated with ESG, business and human rights and sustainability agendas, including emerging regulatory and “soft law” standards and how these interact with contractual, tortious and fiduciary duties.
She focuses on developing practical solutions in conjunction with clients, which businesses are able to implement throughout their operations without undue risk to commercial operations, or unnecessarily increasing litigation risk. This includes developing due diligence procedures and putting in place grievance redress mechanisms.
Sarah works with clients and colleagues across the globe, including across Africa, Asia and Latin America and has served on GAIL’s UK Regional Board and has represented GAIL at multiple events.

Benedict Jones
R&D Lead, Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales
United Kingdom

Christina Bartholomew
Lawyer, co-Founder of Stories Evolved, a UK-based ESG Consultancy, Sustainability Teaching Fellow (FHEA)
United Kingdom

David Hunter
Consultant, Bates Wells

Dawda Jawara III
Deputy General Counsel, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF)

Fenella Chambers
Counsel Responsible Business (Pro Bono) Lawyer, Hogan Lovells
United Kingdom

Frances Holliday
General Counsel, LeapFrog Investments

Jonathan Gilmour
Partner, Head of Derivatives & Structured Products, Travers Smith

Lucy Johnson
Partner, Trinity International LLP
United Kingdom

Mark Kenderdine-Davies
Chief Legal Officer, British International Investment plc

Matthew Hobbs
Senior Associate, Charles Russell Speechlys LLP
United Kingdom

Melissa Manzo
General Counsel, AgDevCo
United Kingdom

Naomi Sander
Senior Legal Counsel & ESG-Impact Lead, Asset Green

Nikesh Arya
Senior Associate , Herbert Smith Freehills
United Kingdom

Rhian Thomas-Turner
R&D Lead, Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales
United Kingdom

Richard Gerrard
Senior Legal Counsel, AgDevCo