Nicolas Walker

Nicolas helps his clients navigate the complexities of French and European regulatory regimes, with a particular focus on environmental compliance, ESG, energy regulation, project development and construction, and, more generally, all aspects of French and European public law and government relations. He has significant experience in the data center, digital infrastructure, e-commerce, and cloud services sectors. His clients include real estate investors and developers, renewable generators and off-takers, energy and commodity traders, manufacturers and retailers of consumer goods, and actors in the industrial sector.

Experience

Representative matters

Advising a major French energy company on the Europe-wide restructuring of its renewable energy, electricity and gas trading activities.

Advising a major French energy company on the inter-company transfer of its energy aggregation business and on its relationship with the Minister in charge of energy.

Advising a Swiss multinational commodity trading company on biofuel sales and the regulatory structuring of agency agreements.

Advising a major French energy company on the Europe-wide restructuring of its renewable energy, electricity and gas trading activities.

Advising a major French energy company on the inter-company transfer of its energy aggregation business and on its relationship with the Minister in charge of energy.

Advising a Swiss multinational commodity trading company on biofuel sales and the regulatory structuring of agency agreements.

Advising a UK privately funded energy supply company on its regulatory obligations in France and on various ministerial approvals.

Advising a major US industrial operator on potential obstacles under EU procurement law for energy contracts.

Advising a European energy fund on its relationship with the French carbon credit regulatory authority (transfer of carbon credits, rights against the account operator, etc.)

Advising a French energy company on sales of biofuels and related derivatives.

Advising a global energy company on a tender for offshore wind projects (1000 MW).

Advising an international retailer on the acquisition of a portfolio of 3 onshore wind farms.

Advising a logistics operator on the installation of a photovoltaic park and on obtaining ministerial funding.

Defending a global industrial manufacturer in criminal and civil proceedings for water contamination and destruction of aquatic species.

Defending a major environmental permit dispute for a logistics platform in the South of France (protected species, environmental protection, Natura 2000).

Advising a major client in the technology sector on environmental compliance issues (electronic waste, green advertising, legionella, packaging waste, etc.)

The sale and mixed-use redevelopment of a 14 ha listed industrial site (worth approximately €300 million).

Joint venture acquisition of a future 80 ha retail and leisure complex north of Paris, with a construction value of €3 billion.

Representation of a global food and beverage company (all aspects of general real estate law and industrial sites).

Advising several real estate developers in negotiations with municipal and ministerial planning authorities (change of zone for hotel and residential projects, appeals against building permits, change of use of buildings and transfer of building rights).

Defence of a planning permission for the development of a 400-bed private hospital (including the rejection of a request for suspension of works).

Recognitions

Finalist for Rising Star of the Year – Law Institute of Victoria, 2013
Runner-up in the Victorian Golden Gavel Oralist – Law Institute of Victoria, 2012
Vice-Champions of France – French Debating Association, 2010

Credentials

Education

Université de Paris I Panthéon–Sorbonne, 2014, LL.M., French and European Law
Université de Paris I Panthéon–Sorbonne, 2009, Master's Degree, International Law
University of Melbourne, 2010, Bachelor of Laws