Yapa Thepkanjana

Senior Associate

Yapa Thepkanjana is an EU regulatory lawyer based in Brussels, advising clients on complex EU regulatory matters across a wide range of sectors.

Her practice focuses on EU regulatory law, with particular experience in sustainability and ESG regulation, digital regulation, pharmaceuticals, food and consumer products, and international trade. Yapa supports clients in understanding and implementing EU regulatory requirements, assessing regulatory risk, and navigating the impact of EU law on market access and commercial strategy. She has also assisted clients in crafting and implementing advocacy strategies, including engagement vis-à-vis EU institutions, EU Member State authorities, and Thai authorities.

Yapa brings a strong combination of private practice and in-house experience, having advised multinational companies, industry stakeholders and public-sector bodies on both compliance and strategic regulatory issues. She has extensive experience engaging with EU institutions and other stakeholders, including on regulatory advocacy and policy developments, and delivering clear, pragmatic and solutions-driven advice.

She holds an LL.M. in Corporate Governance and Practice from Stanford Law School, where she was a Jean Monnet EU Law Research Fellow and published academic research on EU regulatory and sustainability law. She is Stanford Law School Alumni Regional Representative for Belgium.

Yapa is admitted to practise in England & Wales, Brussels (E List), New York, Ireland and the District of Columbia. She is fluent in English and Thai and has professional working proficiency in French.

Yapa’s notable representations include:

Advised multinational fast-moving consumer goods companies on the interpretation and implications of key EU regulations, including the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, EU Deforestation-Free Products Regulation, Batteries Regulation, Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, and Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation;
Designed and established a compliance programme for a major food producer in light of the requirements of the EU Deforestation-Free Products Regulation;
Advised an international pharmaceutical company on an Article 20 referral procedure and related advocacy activities with EU institutions;
Advised an online platform on the applicability of obligations under the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act.