Nicole will lead the firm's newly centralised ESG function advising clients on this emerging area of legal advice, as well as taking responsibility for the firm's internal sustainability and corporate responsibility strategy.
European law firm Fieldfisher has appointed ESG expert Nicole Bigby to the new role of ESG Director at the firm. Nicole joins from Brian Cave Leighton Paisner, where she co-managed its Office of General Counsel function.
A dual-qualified English and Australian lawyer by training Nicole has extensive experience at a global leadership level driving responsible and sustainable business, ESG, legal compliance, and brand/reputation and culture.
She advises clients across finance and other sectors on responsible and sustainable business conduct and impact, including around ESG, human rights, business integrity and social development goals.
Nicole has worked in a number of key roles at the UN, WEF and the ICC and is recognised and ranked by Chambers in both ESG and Business & Human Rights Law.
Her appointment reflects Fieldfisher's drive to position ESG as a strategic priority in the future of the firm, both in terms of its own approach to Sustainable and Responsible business conduct but also as a business service going forward.
Since taking the helm as Managing Partner in May 2022, Robert Shooter has put sustainability and ESG front and centre in Fieldfisher's business strategy.
As well as making significant progress on the firm's internal sustainability and ESG performance, including expanding Fieldfisher's carbon footprint reporting across the European network, launching new inclusion, equity and diversity initiatives, making decisive moves on sustainable premises and business travel and raising over £500,000 for charitable causes, Robert has also helped drive a specific and clear focus on serving the legal sustainability and ESG needs of clients.
Commenting on Nicole's appointment, Robert Shooter said:
"In 2024, we're excited to be centralising our sustainability and ESG function as a core strategic focus and department within the firm and Nicole has exactly the right experience and know-how to lead on this.
"As someone who has dedicated her career to driving sustainability and ESG forwards across a number of organisations globally, she is just the right person to support Fieldfisher as we embark on new sustainability initiatives, as well as expanding on the success of our flagship Rooting for Change programme and looking forward to our next One Firm Action challenge."
Nicole Bigby said:
"I am tremendously excited by the opportunity to converge my personal and professional passions around supporting businesses transition to more sustainable and responsible business approaches. It's a great privilege to contribute my experience and expertise to support Fieldfisher with their ambition to put this at the centre of their strategy and assist their clients with the same journey. I look forward to harnessing and amplifying the collective potential of the Fieldfisher network, together with its clients, to enable the transition to a de-carbonised economy, and sustainable investment and business opportunity."