"Tim is a very good lawyer who is all over climate change matters."Chambers UK 2023
Overview
Tim Baines is a partner in the London environmental and planning team of Mayer Brown. Tim has a particular interest and background in advising companies and financial institutions in the real estate, energy and sustainability sectors. He has considerable knowledge of UK planning and environmental regimes, renewables incentives regimes, and emissions and climate-related matters.
Tim studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science and at the Sorbonne, and speaks fluent French. He has worked as a lawyer in London and Paris in leading UK and US firms. He has lectured on a range of UK environmental law and renewable energy topics at The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS, University of London). According to Who’s Who Legal he has a “well-deserved market place reputation for achievement”.
Tim studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science and at the Sorbonne, and speaks fluent French. He has worked as a lawyer in London and Paris in leading UK and US firms. He has lectured on a range of UK environmental law and renewable energy topics at The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS, University of London). According to Who’s Who Legal he has a “well-deserved market place reputation for achievement”.
Areas of Focus
Practices
Spoken Languages
- English
- French
Experience
Environmental and planning
- Advising, in conjunction with JLL, on the application of Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) to several large companies.
- Advising a major investment bank's environment, social and governance (ESG) legal working group on it’s ESG obligations
- Advising the owners of a large London office block on changes to S. 106 obligations and refinancing as well as environmental (EU ETS and SECR) regimes
- Advising a US-based fund on its bid for a multi-site chemicals business on remediation liabilities and potential indemnities / insurance solutions
- Advising the seller of part of a German chemicals business in conjunction with local counsel on environmental liabilities at a number of sites
- Advising a property investor on the environmental and planning issues relating to its purchase of a number of storage and distribution warehouses across England
- Advising the private equity purchasers of an electronic cigarette business on e-cigarette regulatory issues and planning matters
- Advising the private equity purchasers of caravan and holiday cottages businesses on planning and environmental risks
- Advising a property developer on the planning elements of a number of development acquisitions
- Advising the owners of a services business on the environmental and health and safety issues relating to a cyanide spill.
- Advising on highways agreements and stopping up orders.
- Advising on environmental due diligence in respect of a range of acquisitions and disposals of energy facilities, including in the onshore wind, offshore wind, biomass, shale gas and landfill gas and solar PV sectors.
- Advising on a broad range of licences and consents in respect of the development of one of the UK’s largest offshore wind farms.
- Advising a utility on taking a 25% stake in the Bowland shale gas exploration license in Lancashire including advising on environmental impact requirements, environmental permitting requirements and sale and purchase documentation.
Carbon and energy trading
- Advising an exchange on the EU Auctioning Regulation in respect of EUAs.
- Advising a global industry organisation on the implementation of benchmarking under the EU ETS Directive, including providing legal opinions and engaging in detailed discussions with the European Commission.
- Advising the developer of a bio transport fuel from waste facility on the potential eligibility of the transport fuel that it produces to allow aircraft operators to reduce their emissions under the EU ETS/aviation legislation and on the application of the EU ETS to the facility itself.
- Advising in respect of disputes relating to the ownership of EUAs relating to power generation facilities.
- Advising in respect of a dispute in respect of the delivery of EU Credits under the ISDA emissions trading documentation.
- Advising on the purchase of verified emissions reductions from a REDD+ project in Africa.
- Advising on a range of Emissions Reduction Purchase Agreements in respect of CDM and JI projects, including in respect of CDM Programmes of Activities, advance payment mechanisms, standard switching language, and option / post-2012 provisions.
- Advising numerous clients on the acquisition / disposal of portfolios of carbon credits.
- Advising a JI project owner in Ukraine in connection with a dispute with the project developer.
- Advising a gas and electricity company on a range of over the counter power transactions in respect of Eastern European jurisdictions
- Advising a gas and electricity company on a range of EFET documentation in respect of power trading
- Advising a gas and electricity company on a range of over the counter gas transactions in respect of Eastern European jurisdictions, as well as EFET documentation
- Advising a gas and electricity company on the establishment of their US gas and power trading activities
Energy transactional
- Advising on the energy-related aspects of a broad range of M&A and fundraising transactions, including in respect of wind, solar PV and biomass facilities.
- Documenting power purchase arrangements for portfolios of solar PV facilities and wind farms
- Advising on regulatory and fuel supply aspects of waste wood biomass and waste to energy generation facilities.
- Advising bidders on the offshore transmission (OFTO) licensing regime in respect of their bid for TR3 and TR4 OFTO licenses.
- Advising lenders on the potential implications of the move from the RO to a Contract for Differences in the context of UK Electricity Market Reform.
- Advising on the development of a bio transport fuel from waste facility on the potential eligibility of the transport fuel it produces under the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO).
Perspectives
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July 052023
Events
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September 262023
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November 282022
Critical Minerals Association & Geological Society Business Forum Annual Conference
Critical Minerals Association & Geological Society Business Forum -
November 222022
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January 252022
News
Education
London School of Economics (LSE)
La Sorbonne, Paris IV
BPP University Law School
Admissions
- England and Wales
- Up and Coming: Environment. Tim Baines leads the environment practice at Mayer Brown. He boasts an impressive caseload which has seen him represent major investment firms in a plethora of matters concerning real estate, energy and sustainability. "Tim is a very good lawyer who is all over climate change matters." Chambers UK 2023.
- Mayer Brown International LLP ‘s environment team is led by ‘extremely good‘ counsel Tim Baines, who has a particular interest in advising clients in the real estate, energy and sustainability sectors. Legal 500 2023.
- Named as a Global Leader for Environment – Climate Change in Who’s Who Legal 2021: “Tim Baines is a go-to practitioner for renewables incentives regimes and emission issues.”
- Listed under 'Other key lawyers' Tim Baines supports clients in real estate and corporate transactions and is a key member of the firm's ESG practice. Legal 500 2022: Environment
- Listed as a 'key contact' and 'Another name to note' for Environment. Legal 500 2021.
- Counsel Tim Baines is a key contact in the London office. Legal 500 2018, Environment.
- He has a “well-deserved market place reputation for achievement”. Who’s Who Legal.