Eversheds Sutherland - Legal Insights

Our Energy Transition Series continues to bring you leading global content to support your energy transition journey. During this session we explored the financing landscape for battery energy storage systems (BESS) projects across the UK and Continental Europe. Key trends from the discussion included BESS remains one of the most attractive energy transition asset classes, with investors and lenders continuing to deploy significant capital supported by increasing market maturity. Financing structures are evolving, with a broader mix of debt, private capital and institutional investment supporting projects across different stages of development. Growing power demand, increasing volatility and renewable integration requirements continue to underpin strong long-term fundamentals for the storage sector.

The Government's newly published Commercial Payments Bill marks a watershed moment for the UK construction industry. With a phased ban on retention payments, tighter final payment deadlines and significant changes to payment mechanisms, the legislation is set to fundamentally reshape how parties manage cash flow, risk and security in construction contracts. In this PROPcast, Lauren Morrison and Josh Curry unpack the key provisions of the Bill, explore the practical implications for the industry and share proactive strategies to help you navigate and prepare for this evolving landscape.

In this episode, Angharad Hurle is joined by Rory Phillips KC to discuss the practicalities of handling confidential and sensitive material in processes that are designed to operate transparently. Together, they explore: The tension between transparency and the need to protect sensitive or classified information The legal and procedural tools available to manage confidentiality in inquiries and inquests The practical challenges faced by participants when handling restricted material This episode offers valuable insight for those involved in public inquiries and inquests, helping participants to navigate competing obligations while maintaining fairness and public confidence

With potential reform on the horizon, what does the proposed ban on upwards-only rent reviews mean in practice? In this PROPcast, we explore the legal and practical considerations arising from the proposals, offering practical insight into the issues landlords, investors and occupiers should be considering now.

As buildings become smarter and more digitally connected, cyber security is fast becoming a critical real estate risk. This session, we explore where responsibility for cyber security in real estate really sits, and what buyers, tenants and lenders should be asking to understand a building's cyber resilience.

Our Energy Transition Series continues to bring you leading global content to support your energy transition journey. During this session, focussed on unlocking capital pathways for the energy transition, we discussed how investors can access energy and infrastructure opportunities more effectively, current capital flows across risk profiles and what this signals for future allocations, the scale of global grid investment needs and emerging bottlenecks to unlocking private capital, and the growing range of deployment opportunities as investment strategies continue to broaden.

Join Charlotte Belcher (Senior Associate, Eversheds Sutherland), Paul Mertens (Barrister, Pump Court Chambers) and Shona Love (Barrister, Pump Court Chambers) as they discuss legal basis for Inquiries and Inquests to request information from participants and the challenges which can arise in the disclosure of information in those processes.

Trade unions do not currently have a general right to access workplaces. In October 2026, the Employment Rights Act 2025 changes this by introducing a statutory right of access, both physically and digitally, for the purposes of meeting, supporting, representing, recruiting, or organising workers, and facilitating collective bargaining (but not for organising industrial action).

In this episode, Angharad Hurle, Legal Director at Eversheds Sutherland, is joined by Emma Gargitter from Red Lion Chambers to unpack the real-world implications of this significant piece of legislation. Together, they explore: ✅ Who the Public Office (Accountability) Bill is most likely to impact ✅ How organisations can prepare proactively for its potential implementation ✅ The practical steps leaders should be considering now

Our host Jeremy Goodwin, Head of Pensions, is joined by Charlotte Cartwright, Partner, and Nick Gannon, Policy Delivery Lead at The Pensions Regulator. Together they offer practical, real‑world guidance for trustees and governance teams preparing their ORAs and looking to meet regulatory expectations

With financial crime remaining a significant focus for regulators and enforcement bodies, it's more important than ever for professionals across the industry to understand their responsibilities, and the practical steps needed to protect themselves and their organisations. In this session Steve Smith, defender and investigator, outlines the criminal risk areas for all those dealing with real estate in the UK, highlighting what individuals need to do, and what organisations should have in place to stay on the right side of the law.

As operational wind farms approach the end of their operational life, developers are faced with difficult decisions: decommission, life-extend or replace or upgrade old turbines with modern, higher-capacity technology. The opportunity to take advantage of consenting hurdles already overcome at wind farm sites are set against the challenge of new technical and commercial constraints associated with the scale of infrastructure, and the complexity of a new environmental baseline. The consenting legal and policy framework is playing catch up: how do we repower existing wind farm sites, sustain their contribution to wind energy deployment targets, and ultimately support the delivery of net zero objectives? Join us to hear from ReAmp's Directors William Black and Alison Sidgwick on the key policy considerations and James Gibson, Partner in Eversheds Sutherland's Planning and Infrastructure Consenting practice, on the legal framework to inform repowering strategies.

In this instalment, Jeremy Goodwin speaks with James Ellis and Charlotte Cartwright about the practical implications of two significant forthcoming tax developments, the introduction of inheritance tax on certain pension benefits and the new ability to pay lump sums to members from DB surpluses.

In this episode, we discuss the key elements of the Directive, the reasons behind these reforms, and what employers should expect next. Join UK Partner Tom Player and France Partner Manon Lamotte, who brings a valuable European perspective.

2026 will bring some big changes to the planning system with the new Planning and Infrastructure Act aiming to refresh and streamline the planning process, and the government consulting on significant reform to the National Planning Policy Framework. Join Paul Maile, Head of Planning and Infrastructure Consenting, as he considers the practical effect of some of these changes, and the likely impact for developers and others navigating the planning system.

Following the release of our InFocus Litigation – Winter 2025 edition, Anna Bevan -Jones and Carly Fishwick sat down to explore the themes shaping today's litigation landscape. From emerging risk areas to how disputes are evolving in practice, the discussion builds on the insights from the Winter edition and looks ahead to what businesses and advisers should be watching next.

Wondering what's on the horizon for UK commercial lawyers in 2026? Find out in our latest Commercially Connected Bitesize podcast, where Angela and Sara from our Commercial PSL team discuss key regulatory developments that we're expecting to impact on commercial contracting and supply chains this year, including in the fields of ESG, consumer law, cyber law, UK-EU relations and payment practices.

Join Head of Living Investment Balraj Birdi and Principal Associate Steven Thom, who will be discussing the Renters' Rights Act, and the imminent changes to the private rented sector, likely impact on the market and how landlords can start preparing now.

As we step into 2026, the pensions landscape is evolving rapidly. To help you stay ahead, we've brought together leading experts in DB, DC, and pension policy to explore the changes that matter most, and what you need to do now to prepare.