Environmental concerns have become a top priority for law firms. As businesses aim to leverage the increasing awareness among clients about the imperative to protect the planet and the various environmental incentives offered by governments, law firms are actively enhancing their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) credentials in response.
As per the 2022 Wolters Kluwer Future Ready Lawyer Survey – 50% of law firms in both Europe and the US have established an ESG practice within the last three years. Furthermore, 27% of firms have maintained an ESG practice for over three years, while an additional 18% are in the process of planning to establish an ESG practice within the coming three years.
This is largely due to the fact that “environment and climate change is more important to clients than ever,” (Caroline May, head of environment, safety and planning practice at global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright in London).
It should also be noted that these environmental concerns have trickled into other areas of work for law firms. For instance, in response to pressures to reduce carbon emissions, the property sector is making use of an abundance of sustainable measurement initiatives. The CRC (a carbon-trading scheme requiring large, non-energy-intensive businesses and public sector organisations to report on their carbon and greenhouse gas emissions in the UK) has increased the number of instructions from clients who are asking about its impact on their businesses – these include commercial landlords and their tenants, as commercial property is estimated to contribute around a fifth of the UK’s carbon emissions.
Legal directories will be well aware of the ever-growing need for ESG measures, and as a result, will be looking for related expertise in a growing number of practice areas. Where it is not possible or appropriate to showcase this in the matter highlights, firms should make use of the shop window (what the department is best known for) and/or the ‘initiatives and innovation’ section (or similar) within the submission. A perfect example for the latter would be Simmons & Simmons’ involvement in pro bono initiatives tackling climate change, which it does so through its support of the Legal Response Initiative launched in 2009 by lawyers from Oxfam and WWF-UK, and Carbon Leapfrog.
