Legal career path

ESG

Discover what ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) means in legal practice: how lawyers guide companies through sustainability regulation, human rights and corporate governance, what they do day to day, the career ladder, and how students prepare for an internship or traineeship.

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Introduction

What is ESG in legal practice?

ESG stands for Environmental, Social and Governance and, in legal practice, is the field centred on regulation around sustainability, human rights in the supply chain, and good corporate governance. It is not a single code of law, but a fast-growing body of regulation that increasingly affects companies directly.

The E stands for environment and climate, the S for human rights and working conditions in the supply chain, and the G for how a company is governed and overseen. Lawyers in this field help companies meet the reporting and due diligence obligations that flow from these three themes.

ESG lawyers often work with other practice groups: an ESG issue in an acquisition touches corporate/M&A, a climate dispute touches dispute resolution, and the social side of ESG touches employment, labour & pensions.

What it isThe practice area covering sustainability regulation, supply chain human rights and corporate governance.

What it centres onAdvising on reporting obligations, supply chain responsibility and governance structures.

Why clients need itTo comply with fast-growing European and Dutch sustainability legislation.

Why students find it attractiveA new and fast-changing field with direct social relevance.

The practice

Three settings where you practise this field

The breakdown below mainly says something about the type of client and ESG issue, not about the quality of the work.

International firmFirms that guide multinationals through cross-border sustainability regulation.

Dutch full-service firmESG advice often integrated into the corporate or governance practice, in acquisitions and annual reporting.

Specialised advisory firmFirms fully focused on sustainability reporting and compliance, often working alongside lawyers.

At international firms you often work on cross-border sustainability issues for multinationals. At Dutch full-service firms, ESG advice often sits close to the corporate or governance practice. Specialised advisory firms focus entirely on sustainability reporting and compliance, often in close cooperation with lawyers.

What they do

What ESG lawyers do

The work differs by assignment, but the building blocks below come up in almost every ESG matter.

Advising on sustainability reportingGuiding companies through European reporting obligations.

Human rights and environmental due diligenceScreening a company's supply chain for human rights and environmental risks.

Advising on corporate governanceAdvising boards on responsibilities, oversight and stakeholder interests.

Assessing climate riskMapping transition risk and liability risk related to climate change.

Reviewing sustainability claimsAssessing marketing statements for the risk of misleading sustainability claims.

Drafting ESG clausesSetting out sustainability commitments in contracts and financing agreements.

Setting up compliance programmesDesigning internal processes that let a company meet ESG legislation.

Coordinating with other practice groupsWorking with corporate, employment and dispute resolution when a matter overlaps.

Legal framework

The key legislation

ESG revolves around a fast-growing set of European and Dutch rules that keep recurring, even though application differs greatly from company to company.

Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)EU directive requiring large companies to produce extensive sustainability reporting.

Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)EU directive requiring companies to carry out human rights and environmental due diligence in the supply chain.

EU Taxonomy RegulationClassifies which economic activities count as environmentally sustainable.

Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR)Requires financial market participants to disclose sustainability risks.

Book 2 of the Dutch Civil CodeContains the provisions on management, supervision and accountability within legal entities.

Dutch Corporate Governance CodeContains principles and best practices for the good governance of listed companies.

Practice areas

The main sub-areas

ESG is broad, and most lawyers specialise within one of the sub-areas below.

Sustainability reportingAdvice on CSRD reporting obligations and the underlying data.

Human rights and supply chain responsibilityDue diligence on working conditions and human rights at suppliers.

Climate and environmentClimate-related disputes, permits and environmental regulation.

Corporate governanceGovernance structures, oversight and the interests of different stakeholders.

Sustainable financeGreen bonds and loans with sustainability-linked terms.

Step by step

How a CSRD reporting cycle unfolds

Most sustainability reporting cycles follow a similar path, from the materiality assessment to publication. At more complex companies, gathering data can take considerable time.

Who does which step depends on seniority. Junior lawyers map the underlying regulation and data, while senior lawyers set the reporting strategy and advise the board.

Not every cycle runs smoothly: an incomplete materiality assessment or missing data can cause delays further down the process, which often costs more time than careful preparation upfront.

A simplified overview of a CSRD reporting cycle: the materiality assessment, gathering data, drafting the report, auditor assurance, publication in the annual report, and oversight afterwards.

Roles

Roles in the ESG practice

Each step up the ladder shifts the emphasis further from mapping regulation toward setting ESG strategy and advising the board. Most lawyers climb this ladder at the same firm, though moving between firms at any level is common.

Student intern

Supports lawyers during an internship alongside or after studies.

Key tasks: Regulatory research, organising files, sitting in on client meetings.
Core skills: Legal research, precision, writing skills.
Typical level: Law student, during bachelor's or master's.

Trainee lawyer

The mandatory three-year traineeship straight after graduating.

Key tasks: Mapping regulation, drafting draft advice, supervised client contact.
Core skills: Precise writing, attention to detail, broad legal grounding.
Typical level: Entry-level, straight after a master's degree.

Lawyer / Associate

Handles matters independently after being admitted to the bar.

Key tasks: Setting up compliance programmes, advising clients on reporting obligations.
Core skills: Analytical ability, persuasiveness, matter management.
Typical level: After the traineeship, admitted lawyer.

Senior Associate

Leads more complex ESG matters and mentors junior lawyers.

Key tasks: Leading complex ESG matters, ensuring quality, coaching juniors.
Core skills: Strategic judgement, leadership, sector knowledge.
Typical level: Senior, several years of experience as a lawyer.

Partner

Holds ultimate responsibility for clients and the practice group.

Key tasks: Client relationships, business development, ultimate responsibility for the practice.
Core skills: Network, track record, entrepreneurship.
Typical level: Most senior.

Career timeline

How long each step takes

The legal profession has a fixed statutory basis for the first step: a traineeship in the Netherlands generally lasts three years and is mandatory for every starting lawyer, regardless of practice area. After that, the pace of progression depends heavily on the firm and on individual performance.

After the traineeship, the emphasis shifts from mapping regulation to independently advising on ESG strategy. Making partner takes more than ten years of legal experience at most firms.

Not everyone climbs the whole ladder at the same firm. Some lawyers move into an in-house sustainability role at a company, bringing their ESG experience with them.

Level	Typical time in role
Advocaat-stagiair	3 years, mandatory by law
Advocaat / Associate	3 to 5 years
Senior Associate	2 to 4 years
Partner	top level, 10+ years in total

Compensation

Compensation in the legal profession

Compensation in the legal profession usually consists of a fixed salary that rises with seniority, and at some firms a variable bonus tied to individual and firm performance. ESG does not differ materially in pay structure from other practice areas at the same firm.

The ranges below are general indications for larger Dutch and international firms, and do not apply specifically to this practice area or to any particular firm. Actual pay varies by firm, region and role, and is listed where known in the individual vacancies on this site.

From partner level, the nature of compensation changes. A partner typically shares in the firm's profits rather than receiving a fixed salary, which ties pay more closely to their own client portfolio and the results of the practice group as a whole.

Level	Indicative range
Advocaat-stagiair	€60.000 – €75.000
Advocaat / Associate	€75.000 – €110.000
Senior Associate	€120.000 – €160.000
Partner	€200.000 – €500.000+

Ranges are general indications for the Dutch legal profession, not specific to this practice area or a particular firm. See the vacancy pages for concrete salary figures where a firm publishes them.

A day in the life

A typical day for a junior lawyer

The day often starts with reviewing new or amended regulation or preparing advice on a reporting obligation. On days without a client meeting, much of the time goes into drafting compliance documents and searching through source data.

An ESG lawyer often works on several matters at once, from a reporting cycle to a supply chain due diligence. That requires strict planning, since ESG legislation changes fast and deadlines are often set at EU level.

On a day with a client meeting, the pace shifts entirely. The lawyer prepares the advice, anticipates questions from the board, and explains complex regulation in plain terms.

Juniors

What trainee lawyers do

Junior lawyers carry much of the research and drafting work an ESG opinion rests on, under the supervision of a supervising partner.

Mapping regulation
Drafting draft advice
Searching through data and source documents
Drafting compliance checklists
Preparing due diligence questionnaires
Tracking reporting deadlines
Sitting in on client meetings
Correspondence with regulators

Much of this work goes back and forth several times between trainee and supervisor before advice is sent. That repetition is not inefficiency, it is how a junior lawyer learns which regulation in an ESG matter really matters.

Skills

Skills you will need

Legal knowledge gets the most attention in training, but the lawyers who stay longest often stand out through analytical ability: being able to translate fast-changing regulation into concrete, workable advice.

Analytical thinking Precise writing Persuasiveness Attention to detail Adaptability Resilience under pressure Client focus Working under deadlines Perseverance Strategic judgement

Getting in

How you get into ESG

Most routes run through a law master's with a specialisation in corporate law or environmental law, followed by an internship or traineeship at a firm. An affinity with sustainability and regulation is a plus.

Master's in corporate law or environmental lawThe most direct route, with courses that tie directly into the practice.

Internship during the master'sGaining practical experience at a firm before graduating.

Traineeship after graduatingStructured programmes in which you rotate through several practice groups.

Courses on sustainability lawAdvanced electives show affinity with the broader field.

Student associations and committeesA board or committee year at a student association builds network and experience.

Publishing in legal journalsA case note or article on sustainability law stands out in applications.

Work experience at a sustainability departmentAn internship at a company's sustainability department gives insight from the client side.

Networking with lawyers and alumniCoffee chats and alumni contacts open many doors when applying.

Preparation

How to prepare as a student

Preparation works best when it starts well before the application. Firms test not only legal knowledge, but also whether someone can follow fast-changing regulation and explain it clearly.

1Take courses in sustainability law and corporate lawBuild a solid grounding in regulation around sustainability and corporate governance.

2Read up on the CSRD and CSDDDFollow how these European directives are implemented and applied.

3Do a relevant internshipAny internship at a firm or sustainability department strengthens your application.

4Practise interviewsPrepare for questions on motivation, case studies and current affairs.

5Build a one-page CVKeep it clear and focused on relevant experience and results.

6Network earlyReach out to lawyers and alumni before application rounds open.

7Follow developments in sustainability regulationNew European directives follow each other quickly in this field.

8Improve your EnglishEuropean regulation and international clients often require work in English.

Compare

ESG versus other practice areas

These practice areas often overlap in the same matters, which is why students sometimes mix them up. The distinction mainly lies in which part of the company or dispute is at the centre.

ESG vs Corporate/M&A

Corporate/M&A guides the transaction itself. ESG assesses the sustainability and governance risks that come with that transaction.

ESG vs Commercial

Commercial drafts the contract. ESG tests whether the sustainability claims and clauses within it hold up.

ESG vs Administrative Law

Administrative Law handles disputes with the government, for example over environmental permits. ESG advises more broadly on sustainability regulation towards the company itself.

ESG vs Employment, Labour & Pensions

Employment covers the employment relationship itself. ESG covers a company's broader social responsibility across its supply chain.

ESG vs Dispute Resolution

Dispute Resolution conducts the proceeding once a climate or sustainability dispute escalates. ESG focuses on preventing that through compliance.

Employers

Firms with an ESG practice in the Netherlands

We only name firms here whose specific ESG practice has been verified. At this time, we have not yet been able to confirm a firm for this practice area.

We are working on verifying firms with a specific ESG practice in the Netherlands. In the meantime, browse all employers or all open vacancies.

Browse all employers

Vacancies

ESG vacancies

We only show vacancies from firms with a verified ESG practice here. Once that verification is complete, relevant vacancies will appear in this spot. In the meantime, browse all current vacancies.

View all vacancies

Resources

Recommended resources

Coming soonIntroduction to the CSRDWhat the reporting obligation involves and who it applies to, explained briefly.

Coming soonIntroduction to the CSDDDWhat the due diligence obligation involves and when it applies.

Coming soonOverview of the EU Taxonomy RegulationHow economic activities are classified as sustainable.

Coming soonApplication guide for the legal professionHow to write a strong motivation letter for a trainee position.

Coming soonList of firms with an ESG practiceA verified overview of firms offering this practice area, once available.

Coming soonBasics of corporate governanceHow management and oversight within a company are legally structured, explained briefly.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is ESG?

ESG stands for Environmental, Social and Governance and is the practice area centred on sustainability regulation, human rights in the supply chain, and corporate governance.

What is the difference between the CSRD and the CSDDD?

The CSRD requires large companies to produce extensive sustainability reporting. The CSDDD requires companies to carry out due diligence on human rights and the environment in their own supply chain. Both are EU directives that are often handled together.

What does an ESG lawyer do day to day?

ESG lawyers advise on sustainability reporting, carry out human rights and environmental due diligence, advise on corporate governance, and set up compliance programmes.

What is greenwashing and why does it matter to ESG lawyers?

Greenwashing is making misleading sustainability claims. ESG lawyers review marketing statements to help prevent a company from doing this, which can otherwise lead to reputational damage and legal liability.

What does corporate governance mean within ESG?

Corporate governance concerns how a company is managed and overseen, including the responsibilities of management and supervisory bodies and the interests of different stakeholders.

Which firms have an ESG practice in the Netherlands?

On this page we only name firms whose specific ESG practice has been verified. At this time we have not yet been able to confirm a firm; in the meantime, browse all employers on this site.

What skills do you need for ESG?

Analytical thinking, precise writing, adaptability, attention to detail, and the ability to translate fast-changing regulation into concrete advice.

How do I get into this field as a student?

Take electives in corporate law or environmental law with a focus on sustainability, do an internship at a firm or sustainability department, and apply to structured traineeships that offer a rotation in this field.

Start your journey in ESG

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