In Conversation with...... Sam Hadfield

In Conversation with… 

Sam Hadfield joined the Cyan Partners team as Senior Consultant earlier this year. Find out more about the types of roles and clients he is working with and why the renewables sector is an exciting place to be right now. 

What area do you specialise in? 

I am working in the cleantech/renewables sectors, with clients typically working in battery, solar, wind or hydrogen technologies. It’s an exciting and growing space. The latest PwC Green Jobs Barometer published in November 2024, showed a surge in green job adverts across the UK. 

(link to www.pwc.co.uk/press-room/press-releases/research-commentary/2024/uk-sees-surge-in-the-demand-for-green-skills-despite-overall-job.html ) 

The share of green job adverts rose to 3.3% in 2024, accounting for nearly 23,000 more green job adverts than last year and the Energy sector leads for the proportion of green job adverts with nearly half (45%) of all job advertisements in the sector now classified as green.  

We are seeing both UK-based and global law firms looking to grow their renewables practice, but I am also working with developers, independent power producers (IPPs) and entrepreneurial startups with investment fund backing. These clients are typically recruiting for their first legal hire, often a Head of Legal role who can work within the business and instruct specialist counsel where required. 

Why is this a great place to work in right now? 

It’s a market that has grown substantially since 2020. The net zero agenda is leading to a big push for renewables and the government appointment last summer of Chris Stark as the Head of UK’s Mission for Clean Power shows that there is a real focus on this area in policy terms. 

There are a great many people who are really passionate about working in this sector. Personally I really like working with clients and candidates who have a great sense of purpose about their work. 

How can candidates move into this area of legal practice? 

It is a tough sector to move into if you do not have any prior green energy transactional experience, but I would say real estate lawyers may have the skills the market is looking for. The familiarity with land acquisition, leases and zoning applications are particularly sought after when it comes to wind and solar farm projects. 

Those working within the tech or construction sectors and those with general corporate experience including M&A may be able to make the move.  Experience within oil and gas businesses can also be relevant. A typical senior hire would have a minimum of 7-8 years PQE with demonstrable renewables experience. To really stand out they need to be passionate about this area of work and really want to make an impact. 

What can the sector offer candidates? 

There are many benefits in the sector, the hiring clients tend to be younger and more entrepreneurial, so the working culture and operations often reflect that. Hybrid working, fewer hierarchical structures, reduced red tape, compressed hours and other flexible working arrangements are quite standard. 

Finally what is your personal goal at Cyan? 

I am excited to be part of a small dynamic business and am very much looking forward to learning from a highly experienced team. As a comparative newcomer to recruitment, I’m also keen to work with clients to secure their first hire and develop that relationship, going on to support them by growing their legal team. Additionally, I’m focused on collaborating with law firms that seek to make a real breakthrough in the energy transition and ensuring they have the capacity to do so. 

To talk to Sam about the opportunities in this sector, contact him via LinkedIn or reach out to him via email on sam@cyan.partners