Latham & Watkins has tapped Austin lawyer Sarah Fortt to co-chair its environmental, social and governance practice, the firm announced on Monday.
Fortt, who was previously of counsel at Vinson & Elkins, will lead the global ESG practice alongside London partner Paul Davies.
“[Her] addition comes at a perfect time as we see a rising focus on ESG among businesses and investors, and a growing need for the kind of cross-cutting, comprehensive advice that we provide,” Ryan Maierson, a Houston partner and member of the firm’s executive committee, said in a statement.
Fortt advises public and private companies and their boards on ESG-related corporate governance, disclosure obligations and regulatory requirements. She also counsels clients on emergency board and C-suite transitions, shareholder activism and cybersecurity and data security breaches.
The Yale Law School graduate started her legal career at Cravath and also practiced at Gibson Dunn prior to her five-year tenure at V&E. She is an advisory board member for the ESG Professionals Network and PracticalESG.com.
“I’m thrilled to join Latham’s market-leading ESG advisory team,” Fortt said in the announcement. “The firm’s many practices are well-known as leading practices. But what drew me to the firm is the fact that Latham has combined these capabilities so effectively into a global, cross-disciplinary team that functions with a singular focus on meeting each client’s unique needs.”
Fortt is the fifth lateral partner to join Latham’s Austin office since it launched in September.