Ruth is a partner in our Sydney office. She has over 20 years' experience and substantial expertise in all aspects of environmental and climate change law.

Ruth's breadth of experience as an advisory, transactional and disputes lawyer spanning traditional projects and market leading international climate and nature work brings a specialist service offering for clients in the delivery of their energy transition mandates.

Ruth's climate-related experience spans advisory work for governments in Australia and overseas on treaty commitments, commercial/contractual work in relation to carbon offset projects and carbon exchanges, carbon capture and storage project delivery and advisory, nature investment contracting and training and advisory work to boards and executives on sustainability and climate-related statements, policies and disclosures.

Ruth worked on one of the first detailed international Bilateral Framework Agreements and Mitigation Outcome Purchase Agreements in respect of Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs) pursuant to Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Her carbon project experience ranges from domestic Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) projects to international voluntary carbon and Article 6 projects within the Asia Pacific, Africa, and South America. This includes drafting and advisory work in relation to the administration of government and multilateral funds for the delivery of ACCU, ITMO and electrification projects in Australia and abroad respectively. On the nature side, Ruth's experience includes working on conservation projects and contracting in respect of bespoke unitisation of nature credits.

Ruth regularly assists clients in their sustainability and climate disclosures and dealings with regulators including the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC).

In addition to Ruth's climate change experience, Ruth advises on all aspects of environmental and planning law, with a particular focus on major projects, ESG and renewable energy.

Ruth advises clients on major projects across a wide range of sectors, including energy, infrastructure, and real estate. She has experience working on strategic project planning and approval pathways, biodiversity, land contamination and remediation, along with environmental compliance. This includes advising on projects for the development of transmission lines, solar and wind farms, battery storage, renewable energy zones, recycled water treatment plants, railways, airports, ports and large-scale sustainability precincts.

She is an experienced solicitor advocate and has acted for clients in the NSW Land and Environment Court, Supreme Court of NSW, NSW Court of Appeal, Federal Court, and High Court of Australia.

In the Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide 2024, clients called Ruth 'an outstanding lawyer', saying 'she is very hard-working and dedicated to her clients. No request was too difficult, and the quality of her work was first-rate'. She was also described as having 'proven time and again her ability to navigate the various levels of state and local planning instruments to a desired outcome'.