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James Snape

Partner
Head of Projects
Lawyer

Portrait ofJames Snape

James Snape

Partner
Head of Projects
Lawyer

Contact
CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP
Cannon Place
78 Cannon Street
London
EC4N 6AF
United Kingdom
Languages English

James is a partner in the Energy, Projects and Construction Group. He specialises in complex infrastructure and energy projects, public procurement, outsourcing, joint ventures and strategic partnerships..

He has worked on major infrastructure, energy and PPP projects for over 15 years in the UK, mainland Europe, the Middle East and South East Asia acting for sponsors, funders and public authority clients. He has advised on over 30 closed PPP/PFI Projects in sectors including transport, education, health, custodial, waste and renewable energy.

James and the team also provides specialist support on secondary market and M&A transactions in the infrastructure, energy and PPP sectors to our clients including leading infrastructure, pension and sovereign wealth funds.

He is recognised by clients and peers as one of the leading commercial lawyers in the waste and biomass sectors where he has advised clients on the construction, financing and operation of numerous waste to energy and biomass facilities in the UK, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Singapore, Malaysia, Jordan, the Caribbean and the UAE together with disputes related to the design and construction of these types of facility.

James Snape is "very sharp, very creative and has incredible technical knowledge," notes a source, who adds: "His input and impact was tremendous." He has a focus on waste and renewables PPP work. - Chambers and Partners.

"He is a heavyweight when it comes to dealing with local authorities on waste issues. He finds win-win solutions for the contractor and the local authority." Chambers & Partners

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"James' depth of waste sector knowledge and pragmatic approach is a key reason for instructing CMS."

Chambers, 2024

"He has a strong market knowledge in the energy and waste-to-energy sectors."

Chambers, 2024

"James has a good understanding of commercial priorities."

Chambers, 2023

"James has an in-depth knowledge of the subject. He is able to explain complex issues to a broad base of people."

Chambers 2018

"James' depth of waste sector knowledge and pragmatic approach is a key reason for instructing CMS."

Chambers, 2024

"He has a strong market knowledge in the energy and waste-to-energy sectors."

Chambers, 2024

"James has a good understanding of commercial priorities."

Chambers, 2023

"James has an in-depth knowledge of the subject. He is able to explain complex issues to a broad base of people."

Chambers 2018

Relevant experience

  • Babcock Wilcox Vølund – advising on a number of waste to energy and biomass projects in the UK, UAE and Caribbean including the design and construction of a proposed 320,000 tonne per annum waste to energy facility in Hertfordshire, UK.
  • Biffa Plc – advising Biffa on a number of waste to energy projects and bids for PPP contracts including the West Sussex MRMC Project to design, build and finance a new state of the art £150m waste treatment facility near Gatwick Airport. The Project included a hybrid funding structure with the procuring authority and Biffa providing finance to the Project SPV.
  • ISquared Capital – advice on due diligence in connection with the proposed acquisition of a major UK energy from waste business.
  • Greenland Group – advice to this leading Chinese developer in connection with a decentralised energy and district heating scheme at RAM Brewery, Wandsworth, London
  • The International Quarter – advising the developer (a JV between Lend Lease and London and Continental Railways) on the district heating scheme at the legacy Olympics site at Stratford, London.
  • Low Carbon – advising on a proposed pathfinder decentralised energy and district heating project in the UK.
  • Agrivert Group – advising this leading developer and operator of Anaerobic Digestion Facilities in the UK on a number of projects in England and Wales.
  • Stellar Energy Limited – advising in relation to the proposed development of an Advanced Thermal Treatment Plant to treat waste on the island of New Providence, Bahamas.
  • The Government of Malaysia – advice in relation to the procurement of a waste to energy plant in Kuala Lumpur.
  • Skanska ID and FCC Consortium on the £2bn North London Waste Services PPP Project, a complex PPP Procurement including the operation and maintenance of existing facilities whilst new facilities were constructed on the adjacent site.
  • Viridor on the Peterborough Waste PPP Project The project included the design, construction and operation of a new energy from waste facility in Peterborough to supply electricity to over 5,000 homes.
  • Cory Environmental and Wheelabrator Consortium on the successful consortium on the £500m Norfolk Waste PFI Contract. The project involved the design, construction, financing and operation of a new 30M/W energy from waste facility at Kings Lyn in Norfolk. The project included a highly innovative funding structure featuring senior and mezzanine debt.
  • Essex County Council in relation to the Essex Partnership Waste PFI Contract which reached financial close in 2012 and is supported by over £100m in PFI credits. The procurement was won by a consortium of Balfour Beatty Investments and Urbaser S.A. with senior debt of circa £150m provided by Bayern LB and SMBC.
  • John Laing Investments and Shanks Waste Management Limited on its bids for a number of waste PPP Procurements including Glasgow Waste PFI Project.
  • Amey and Cespa S.A. on its bids for various Waste PFI Projects including Cheshire.
  • Skanska ID and Aecom on its bids for various Waste PFI Projects including North Yorkshire.
  • Wheelabrator Inc. and Shanks Waste Management Limited on its bid for various Waste PFI Projects including the Arc21 Project in Northern Ireland.
  • Laing O'Rourke – advising in connection with a strategic review of its PFI and PPP Portfolio.
  • Infrared Capital Partners – advising in relation to variations and extensions to Barnet Hospital PFI.
  • JLIF – advice in relation to due diligence on a number of operating PFI and PPP Portfolios.
  • A major Dutch Pension Fund – advice in relation to a proposed acquisition of operating infrastructure and PPP assets in the UK, Spain and Italy.
  • Lend Lease on its involvement in the Calderdale, Manchester and Worcester Hospital PFI Projects.
  • Serco Plc – advising Serco on a series of outsourcing contracts for back office services including a pathfinder outsourcing and strategic joint venture with Peterborough City Council.
  • VFS – advising this Indian based company on successfully winning a series of contracts with UK Visas for the outsourced processing and management of visa services across the world for the UK Government.
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Memberships & Roles

  • Member, The Chartered Institute of Wastes Management
  • Member, The Law Society of England and Wales
  • Registered Foreign Lawyer, Singapore
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Publications

  • Editor of the Sweet and Maxwell PFI Looseleaf
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Education

  • 1998 – LPC, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth
  • 1997 – Law LLB (Hons), DeMontfort University, Leicester
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Expertise

Feed

25/04/2024
Energy from Waste: The Invisible Man Anticipating and mitigating against...
We are delighted to invite you to the second of four conferences we are holding on the lifecycle of an Energy from Waste Project taking place on Thursday 25 April 2024. Over the four sessions, CMS and EfW industry specialists will team up to discuss the challenges facing Energy from Waste Projects in today’s environment and the role they can play in a Net Zero future. We will cover a wide-range of issues as further detailed in the flyer, which can be accessed here.  Conference Two: The Invisible Man  The second of our series “The Invisible Man” is a panel discussion in which the panel will identify commonly encountered construction, engineering, testing and commissioning risks and how they can evolve into costly disputes if not ringfenced and resolved early. The panel includes: Wayne Robertson, General Counsel of Enfinium Ian Crummack, CEO of Cobalt Energy David Falkenstern, Managing Director and Delay Expert, Kroll James Snape, Partner at CMS as Chair Join us for a lively panel discussion, followed by networking drinks. Please register for the event by clicking the button below.
Event Legal
09/04/2024
Temporary ban on Environmental Permits for New Energy from Waste Plants...
On 4th April 2024 Defra issued a direction to the Environment Agency placing a temporary ban on the issue of any new Environmental Permits for Energy from Waste Facilities (EfW) in England.The direction...
Law-Now Energy & Climate Change
21/11/2023
Energy from Waste: Future-Proofing Projects: Industry and Legal Insights
We are delighted to invite you to the first of four conferences we are holding on the lifecycle of an Energy from Waste Project taking place on Tuesday 21 November 2023. Over the four sessions, CMS and...
Event Legal
15/08/2023
CMS advises Legal & General on the UK’s biggest investment in ground source...
CMS has advised Legal & General Capital (Legal & General) on its further investment in The Kensa Group (Kensa), together with Octopus Energy (Oc­topus). Kensa is the UK’s leading manufacturer and installer...
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06/07/2023
Significant reform of the UK ETS announced
On 3 July 2023, the UK ETS Authority comprising the UK government and the devolved administrations (together, the “Au­thor­ity”)  published its response to a 2022 consultation on developing the UK...
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19/08/2022
Turning the thermostat: UK moves to regulate heat 
The Energy Bill (the “Bill”), which was introduced to Parliament on 6 July 2022 takes aim at providing a regulatory framework to support the Government’s commitment to fully decarbonise heating...
Law-Now Power Projects
30/03/2022
Consultation opens on developing the UK Emissions Trading Scheme
On 25 March 2022, the UK, Welsh, and Scottish Governments and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland (the “Authority”) launched a joint consultation (the...
Law-Now Oil & Gas
19/08/2020
Do Energy from Waste plants fall within the Construction Act?
A recent TCC decision has considered whether Energy from Waste plants fall within the power generation exemption in section 105 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1998 (the “Con­struc­tion...
Law-Now Energy & Climate Change
30/11/2018
When are development agreements covered by the procurement rules?
The Court of Appeal recently issued its judgment in Faraday Development Ltd v West Berkshire Council, making the first Declaration of Ineffectiveness in an English public procurement case. The judgment...
Law-Now Infrastructure & Projects
18/07/2018
Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations
On 15 April 2018, the Renewable Transport Fuels and Greenhouse Emissions Regulations 2018 (the “Reg­u­la­tions”) came into force, amending the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations Order 2007 (the “RTFO”)...
Law-Now ESG
15/08/2017
The new Welsh landfill disposals tax
The Welsh Government is gearing up to introduce its own landfill disposal tax (“LDT”) in 2018. This is part of the Welsh Government's ‘Towards Zero Waste’ strategy, which aims to make Wales a...
Law-Now Cleantech
22/05/2017
Infrastructure Pledges in the 2017 General Election Manifestos
As campaigning for the 2017 General Election gathers pace, there was a flurry of manifesto launches for the main political parties in England last week. We take a closer look at the infrastructure pledges...
Law-Now Real Estate
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