Pinsent Masons wins at FT Innovative Lawyers Europe 2026

Regarding the Financial Times’ index of the most innovative European law firms, Pinsent Masons scored particularly highly for its investment in people and its digital capabilities.

Clare Francis, chair of Pinsent Masons’ innovation and change board, commented, “It’s fantastic to see the firm recognised in the top 10 most innovative firms in Europe. It really is a reflection of how our people combine deep legal expertise, technology and new ways of working to create meaningful advantage for our clients. For us, innovation is not simply about adopting new technology – it’s about helping our lawyers grow with it so we can try new things and find better ways to deliver outcomes for our clients.”

In the Innovative Lawyers in Sustainability category, the winning Pinsent Masons team, led by partner and energy transition specialist Stacey Collins, supported Heidelberg Materials UK with its world-leading development of a carbon capture and storage plant at its Padeswood cement works in North Wales.

Set to become the world’s first fully decarbonised cement manufacturing facility, the project will capture around 800,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually from the Padeswood works and transport it via the HyNet pipeline system for permanent storage beneath Liverpool Bay. The team advised on the project's complex legal and commercial framework, including the negotiation and execution of the landmark Industrial Carbon Capture Contract, grant funding arrangements and the application of the UK CCS Network Code.

Stacey Collins said: “It’s fantastic for our team to be singled out as legal innovators for such a prestigious award. The Padeswood CCS project is truly a world first, in terms of both the project’s purpose and the legal and regulatory framework we’ve helped develop around it.

“It’s been both a challenging and rewarding journey to have supported Heidelberg Materials on the project for many years. Now we have the completed government contracts, our involvement continues as we help ensure the successful construction, commissioning and operation of this iconic carbon capture facility.”

Pinsent Masons was also commended in the Innovative Lawyers in Dealmaking category for advising the University of Greenwich on its landmark merger with the University of Kent, and in the Innovation in Digital Tools category for designing an innovative platform for Heineken, using a data cube to help the General Counsel track workflows and enabling targeted interventions that help deliver Heineken’s objectives.