“Evident are making a significant and material contribution towards the drive to NetZero and that’s something that I’m passionate about”

Meet Barny Jenkins, Evident’s General Counsel

Barny joined Evident as General Counsel in December 2023, bringing over 20 years of legal expertise. Prior to joining Evident, he accumulated extensive experience in private practice specialising in mergers and acquisitions and private equity before spending the last fifteen years in-house. At Evident, Barny is responsible for all legal and compliance matters across the business.

Barny’s decision to move into the sustainability industry was motivated by his desire to make a difference and contribute to the critical clean energy transition. He recognised that joining Evident as General Counsel would allow him to fulfil this aspiration.

In this discussion, Barny provides insights into his role at Evident and shares his advice for those looking to embark on a career in law and sustainability.

What’s your role at Evident and how does your previous experience inform your work?

As Evident’s General Counsel, my role is to reduce risk while also providing robust, commercially minded legal advice across the business.

Prior to joining Evident, I worked in private practice as a corporate lawyer for several years, before moving in-house to an IT company where I advised on its buy and build strategy and then latterly to a family office advising on a range of investment related matters.

Each role I’ve taken in my career has been in a new sector, but the legal best practice remains the same. Whilst joining a new sector always brings with it new challenges and learning opportunities, it’s great to be able to leverage the experience and knowledge developed throughout my career to offer a fresh perspective to Evident.

What inspired you to join Evident?

I ultimately wanted to be part of something that mattered. Evident is making a significant and material contribution towards the drive to NetZero and that is something I’m passionate about. Evident has quickly become a world leader in the certification of the clean economy and I’m excited to be part of that journey.

I was also attracted to Evident because of its culture - it is a company that truly puts its people first and that was a huge draw for me.

What excites you most about your role at Evident and how do you envision your work evolving in the next 3-5 years?

General Counsel is a new role to Evident, which means there is a huge amount of opportunity for my role to grow and evolve. I work on a wide breadth of legal matters, but I also play a part in the business’ day-to-day decision-making, helping Evident lead the transition to a Clean Economy and continue its incredible growth.

What advice do you have for people wanting to work in this sector?

I have three key pieces of advice for anyone looking to enter the world of sustainability as a lawyer:

1. Become knowledgeable – learn about the challenges and developments of the sector you want to work in.
2. Gain practical experience to inform your industry knowledge.
3. Challenge yourself.