Sara K. Orr

Since joining Kirkland, Sara has been involved in the following matters:

Public Company Counseling

• Counsel public companies on ESG related risks and opportunities including ESG governance, voluntary ESG disclosure, litigation risk assessments, climate strategy, human capital management, human rights, supply chain and biodiversity issues
• Advise public company clients on ESG vulnerabilities in connection with shareholder activism
• Advise on legal risks related to ESG communications including sustainability reports, articles, social media and other voluntary ESG disclosure

Capital Markets Advice
including in Bond Offerings, Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), Special Purpose Acquisition Corporation (SPACs) Formations and Combinations, and Disclosures

• Advise on ESG issues in connection with multiple IPOs and de-SPACs across industries
• Draft ESG-related disclosure in S-1s, 10-Ks, proxy statements and other public filings
• Advise on sustainable finance including green bonds, sustainability bonds and other ESG products

Private Equity/M&A

• Advise private equity firms on ESG policies, ESG due diligence, metrics, reporting, and external ratings and frameworks including UN Principles for Responsible Investment
• To date, conducted due diligence on hundreds of M&A deals advising on ESG risks and opportunities across sectors
• Advise on exit ESG considerations including sales and IPOs

Debt Finance

• Advise lenders on Equator Principles and other ESG issues in connection with project financing
• Counsel clients on sustainable finance structures including sustainability bonds, green bonds and loans, and other ESG related financial products

Prior to joining Kirkland, Sara was involved in the following matters:

• Anadarko Petroleum Corporation and TOTAL in connection with the financing of the development of the US$20 billion Mozambique LNG Project, named “Global Multilateral Deal of the Year” of 2020 by Project Finance International
• The underwriters in the US$240.6 million initial public offering for Beyond Meat
• A major mining company in connection with the development of a new US phosphate mine, including counseling on public lands management issues, NEPA, and litigation strategy
• The sponsor, Sasol Chemicals (USA) LLC, in connection with the development and project financing of a multi-billion dollar petrochemical project in Louisiana that Infrastructure Journal Global and Project Finance International magazines named America’s Petrochemical Deal of the Year 2014
• The underwriters on the US$582.9 million financing of Black Rock and NextEra Energy Partners’ acquisition of a portfolio of wind and solar projects from NextEra Energy Resources that Project Finance International named North America Power Deal of the Year 2018

Latham & Watkins, 2005–2021

Bell Boyd & Lloyd, 2002–2005