Pinsent Masons

This article is part of the Nuclear Spin project of Spinwatch.

Background

Pinsent Masons is an international law firm, ranked in the UK's top 20 firms.

In 2012 it bought Scottish law firm McGrigors for £20-plus million.

Lobbying government

Public Policy is the public affairs division of Pinsent Masons, providing 'tailored strategic public affairs advice on the business implications of legislation and regulation from Westminster and Whitehall, the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government and the EU'. It is headed by Alastair Ross.

Working for the fracking industry

Pushing community engagement to help persuade the 'moderates' and isolate the 'extremists'

In February 2015 Pinsent Masons sponsored an event of pro-fracking interests, at which the various opposition groups to fracking developments were divided into 'moderates' who could be persuaded of the benefits of the process, and 'extremists' who lobbying firms would need to isolate into obscurity.

Melissa Thompson, spokesperson for Pinsent said that 'community engagement' would help to dispel protests, helping people to comprehend the benefits and risks of fracking more fully. She made a division between the people receptive of this message and ‘professional protesters who don’t actually know what cause they’re protesting against’.

The rhetoric of Pinsent Masons surrounding fracking clearly has taken on a very divide-and-conquer or 'us' and 'them' mindset when dealing with opposition protests, making them one of many PR and lobbying companies to pursue client interests above all else.

Cuadrilla setback a blow to keeping the lights on

In June 2015 after fracking firm Cuadrilla's controversial application to frack at two sites was rejected by Lancashire council, Pinsent's Robbie Owen was quoted in the Telegraph:

"Today's decision to refuse planning permission at Preston New Road will be viewed as a considerable set-back for shale gas exploration in England. It sends a further unhelpful signal to international investors at a time when the UK's energy policy is in a state of flux. The events of recent weeks demonstrate a difficult relationship between localism on the one hand and the need to keep the lights on on the other. The next likely move will be an appeal to the Secretary of State, but the question for potential investors is whether the UK is simply becoming too difficult and unpredictable a place."

Nuclear activities

Pinsent Masons are a heavyweight legal player on nuclear issues, working for both government and corporations. They sell themselves as 'unrivalled'

...leading advisers on new nuclear build and decommissioning for developers e.g. advising Nugeneration Limited on its new build development at Sellafield, the UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and local authorities e.g. on the flagship new nuclear build at Hinkley Point C. Our advice covers site due diligence, judicial review risk, nuclear liability and historic environmental risk, in particular analysing, interpreting and applying the Nuclear Installations Act as well as Paris Convention liabilities and the UK's current position on the Amending Protocol to the Paris Convention.

They offer strategic advice too:

...offering advice and assistance on the formation of joint ventures and/or alliances; the provision of strategic director level briefings on contract structures and relevant corporate governance/commercial issues. Organising industry briefings and pursuit of industry wide supply chain issues with British Nuclear Group, UKAEA, the NDA and Government.

Advising on nuclear deals

Pinsents advised on UK nuclear company AMEC's - acquisition of Serco's nuclear services business in June 2012. Their team was led by Helen Ridge and Anna Whetham and included Amie Norris, Jon Robinson and Phil Birchall. According to Masons' press release:

Helen Ridge commented "We are delighted to have supported AMEC again on a strategic acquisition as it continues to expand its clean energy business".

Iain Clarkson, Vice President Finance, AMEC Power Process Europe added "Pinsent Masons have yet again been an integral part of our team providing pragmatic commercial advice and supporting us to deliver the deal on time".

People

• Paul Rice, Partner - Head of Client Relationships, Energy & Natural Resources
• Bob Ruddiman - Partner - Head of Energy & Natural Resources

Secondee to government working on Hinkley Point C application

• Sophie Barr is a Pinsent Masons employee, who was seconded to the Office for Nuclear Development at the DECC from March 2012 until March 2013. Her role was as 'Head of Waste Transfer Contract', working on Development of the Government’s Waste Transfer Contract application to Hinkley Point C. DECC said it made a contribution to her salary.

Clients

• Nugeneration Limited, a private consortium that wants to build a new nuclear power station near Sellafield
• AMEC - Pinsents advised on AMEC's acquisition of Serco nuclear services business in June 2012

Affiliations

• Nuclear Industry Association - member
• World Nuclear Association - member
• All Party Parliamentary Group on Climate Change Group - Associate Member

Lobbying firms

• Cavendish Communications

Former lobbying firms

• Terrapin Communications, a comms agency run by former Bell Pottinger MD Peter Bingle advised Pinsent Masons as a client in 2013

Contact, Resources and Notes

Contact

Pinsent Masons has offices in Aberdeen; Belfast; Birmingham; Edinburgh; Leeds; London; Manchester; Munich; Paris; Istanbul; Dubai; Qatar; Beijing; Hong Kong; Shanghai and Singapore.

Website : www.pinsentmasons.com

Twitter: @PinsentMasons

London Address:30 Crown Place, Earl Street, London, EC2A 4ES

Phone: (020) 7418 7000

Edinburgh Address (for client meetings): Princes Exchange, 1 Earl Grey Street, Edinburgh EH3 9AQ

Edinburgh Address: Third floor, Quay 2, 139 Fountainbridge, Edinburgh EH3 9QG