Beth Sasfai has joined Cooley as a partner in New York, where she will lead the firm’s ESG advisory practice. Arriving from Verizon, where she served as chief ESG officer and senior vice president of corporate governance, Sasfai has extensive experience developing robust ESG strategies and driving forward a wide range of ESG initiatives – from corporate governance and board affairs to ESG reporting and shareholder engagement issues and more. As a member of the firm’s public companies group, Sasfai will advise public and private companies, investment funds, and their boards.
“Beth’s deep experience and leadership on a wide range of ESG matters will significantly enhance Cooley’s ability to support our clients on their most critical ESG challenges throughout the full corporate life cycle,” said Sonya Erickson, global chair of Cooley’s business department. “Beth’s arrival is emblematic of our ongoing commitment to grow our capabilities to meet our clients’ evolving needs.”
“Beth brings deep ESG subject matter and boardroom expertise, including high-level engagement with the C-suite, that will greatly benefit our expansive public and private companies platform,” added Jason Kent, who co-chairs Cooley’s public companies practice group alongside Chad Mills. “More than ever, our clients are seeking sophisticated, board‐level advice as they navigate a constantly evolving regulatory landscape and heightened expectations of shareholders.”
Sasfai spent the last eighteen years at Verizon, where she oversaw the development of the company’s ESG practice from the ground up. She led a cross‐functional team of lawyers and sustainability professionals responsible for ESG reporting and engagement, business and human rights, digital trust and safety, corporate governance and board affairs, and served as counsel to Verizon’s investor relations and external reporting teams. In addition to overseeing the effectiveness of Verizon’s ESG commitments, Sasfai focused on the companywide integration of ESG, leveraging data and stakeholder feedback to drive progress on ESG priorities. Sasfai also served as a management liaison to the corporate governance and policy committee of the board of directors, which is charged with overseeing sustainability, governance and reputational risk.
“I am thrilled to join Cooley’s leading public companies group at a time when boards and companies are seeking deep and comprehensive expertise to navigate the complexities of today’s ESG landscape,” Sasfai said. “I look forward to providing strategic counsel and practical guidance to Cooley’s impressive and diverse client base of tech, life sciences, retail and consumer products companies in all stages of growth to meet their unique needs in this rapidly evolving area.”
Cooley’s ESG advisory practice consists of a multidisciplinary, cross-border team recognized for their expertise in guiding clients through the ever-changing ESG landscape, with experience ranging from corporate governance and reporting to policy creation and application. In addition to Cooley’s ESG work for public and private companies, the firm’s elite venture capital and fund formation practices advise investors on how they can incorporate social and environmental impact goals into their investments and funds. Cooley also offers a wide array of B Corp and public benefit corporation resources that enable growth and progress for businesses pioneering corporate social responsibility models.
As the #1 firm for taking companies public since 2014, Cooley serves as principal corporate governance and securities counsel for 250+ seasoned and newly public companies of all sizes in all aspects of regulatory compliance, including securities disclosures and compliance with government and stock exchange requirements. The firm leverages its market-leading experience to address each client’s legal needs efficiently and comprehensively during every stage of a business’s growth and expansion, and its preeminent public companies practice coordinates seamlessly with lawyers from its securities, M&A, compensation, litigation and regulatory groups to help public companies succeed in their business endeavors.