Kristy Balsanek

Kristy has more than 20 years of legal experience, practicing in both global law firms and in-house roles. Kristy’s practice focuses on core sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) areas including regulatory assessments, reporting and disclosures, climate transition, environmental policy, net-zero initiatives, greenwashing, sustainable linked loans, mergers and acquisitions, post-acquisition integration, global supply chain, business and human rights, business ethics, director/officer duties and corporate governance.

Infusing a holistic, integrated and practical approach, Kristy serves as a trusted global regulatory advisor by supporting a wide range of clients in transitioning, transforming and embedding sustainability and ESG throughout their businesses and organizations to create long-term value, resilience and impact in a rapidly evolving legal and regulatory landscape across the globe. She counsels public and private companies with both US and multinational operations across all sectors with a particular focus on companies doing business in Europe and Asia. 

Kristy supports clients in their business strategies to mitigate risk and finds practical solutions for a myriad of ESG legal requirements, voluntary industry standards and stakeholder expectations.  Kristy advises clients on the full lifecycle of ESG and sustainability, including the  design and implementation of risk based ESG reporting, compliance and governance programs and counseling on risk assessments, corporate policies, supply chain due diligence, complex supplier/strategic partner agreements, M&A, internal and government investigations, reporting, disclosures, audits, trainings, regulatory enforcement and litigation matters.

Kristy serves as the Chair of DLA Piper LLP’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Steering Committee leading the firm’s cross-sector integration of sustainability and ESG advisory services across practice areas in collaboration with the firm’s lawyers.