How Green Is Your Law Firm

How green is your law firm?

According to a 2022 survey, 50% of law firms across Europe and the U.S. report that they’ve established an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practice area in the past 3 years.

The reason for this uptick in sustainability is driven both by client demands and climate-related compliance obligations. It’s also a priority for young graduates entering the legal profession who want to work with companies whose values align with their own.

In wider UK businesses, almost a third have pledged to eliminate their carbon emissions by 2050, and they’ll be looking to lawyers with environmental expertise to help them achieve that. But the responsibility is not just on the partners of a law firm to come up with solutions, there’s a lot individual lawyers can do.

Timothy Wilkins, global partner for client sustainability at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP says, “At the end of the day, every single lawyer has to be an ESG lawyer.”

But what can an individual lawyer do to make a difference? Here are 3 areas to focus on:

1. Keep informed of the latest social responsibility developments, regulations and trends so you can advise clients.
2. Put ESG clauses into contracts so clients can manage risks and legal obligations.
3. Advise clients on legal liabilities and reputational issues linked to ESG.

The best approaches don’t look at ESG as a simple box-ticking exercise but look holistically and plan a long-term vision of sustainability.

Does your law firm have a solid ESG policy in place? How do a firm's environmental credentials influence your job search?