Global law firm Dentons announced today the appointment of Michael Duvall and Noor Kapdi to lead the firm’s ESG practice as Co-Chairs of its Global ESG Practice Leadership Team.

In their new roles, Duvall and Kapdi will lead Dentons’ ESG team, which includes former General Counsel, academics and authorities on ESG as well as cross-practice experts, advising companies on ESG challenges and opportunities.

Elliott Portnoy, Global CEO of Dentons, said:

“Ensuring our clients have access to market-leading ESG advisors is vital to our business strategy. By appointing Michael and Noor to lead the Firm’s ESG practice, we will continue to offer a competitively positioned ESG practice… The combined value of these appointments means nuanced expertise for our clients, whose ESG-related issues vary significantly based on their jurisdiction.”

Duvall is a Partner at Dentons, and has been with the firm for over 15 years, with a focus on defending companies in consumer class actions, complex litigation, and related regulatory actions across the U.S. He leads Dentons’ Global Food and Beverage Working Group has been serving as a member of the firm’s Global Environmental, Social and Governance Advisory Board.

Duvall said:

“I am honored to help lead and evolve how we continue to support our clients on their myriad ESG-related issues. We expect climate-related litigation to continue at a steady pace, extending beyond consumer-facing sectors to banking, insurance and the wider investor community. Organizations that are not working toward decarbonization and those that make unsubstantiated sustainability claims will face greater risk.”

Kapdi was a Founding Partner at South Africa-based oil and gas-focused law firm KapdiTwala, which joined with Dentons in 2014, and has been serving as CEO of the firm’s Africa region, working out of Cape Town and Johannesburg, responsible for developing and implementing Dentons’ strategy in the Africa region. He has also been serving as a member of Dentons’ Global Banking and Finance, Global Corporate and Global Energy, Infrastructure and Project Finance practice groups.

Kapdi said:

“We find ourselves at a pivotal juncture. Multinationals are grappling with a rapidly shifting geopolitical, regulatory and legal landscape, and it is incumbent on us to support our clients in navigating that environment and defining what ESG means for their organizations. We have the ability to work closely with our clients wherever they operate in the world to provide bold and transformative ESG legal strategies that deliver meaningful impact and progress on their sustainability targets.”