Susan H. Mac Cormac

As a partner at Morrison & Foerster LLP, Susan H. Mac Cormac combines her corporate legal knowledge with a passion for environmental sustainability and fighting climate change.

Her work spans a range of complex matters, from advising on billion-dollar technology investments and high-profile M&A transactions in the clean technology and renewable energy sectors to guiding businesses in new corporate structures and governance in relation to sustainability.

Mac Cormac, who specializes in social enterprise, agriculture, renewable energy and climate issues, said she spends most of her billable and pro bono time focused on corporate forms and financing vehicles to move mainstream capital into viable solutions to address climate change and inequality.

"Philanthropic capital represents less than .25% of the overall global capital markets," she said in an email. "We must move past the paradigm where companies and investors (and lawyers) alike make money and then give away a small amount (1-5%) on the side. We must integrate climate change (and other material ESG factors) into company operations and both private and public capital markets."

In a recent example, Mac Cormac advised Generate Capital in its effort to raise $2 billion for sustainable projects. The new capital will allow the company -- which builds, finances and operates sustainable infrastructure -- to continue expanding into new sectors and regions to meet rising demand.

Mac Cormac also advised Generate Capital with its conversion to a public benefit corporation.

While she loves her profession, Mac Cormac said the first six months of the pandemic were the most challenging of her career, with a large caseload and three sons, two of them teenagers. She said she was fortunate to have a supportive team of attorneys and staff to help shoulder the workload.

"And with a husband and amazing boys who pulled together to help each other and help me -- my 18-year-old left for college this past fall with excellent cooking and mopping skills," she said.

- Kelly Puente