Lawyers commit to environmental sustainability

8 October 2007

The Law Society, DLA Piper and Business in the Community (BiTC) have joined forces with law firms and in-house counsel from around the country to encourage the legal profession to commit to environmental sustainability. The Legal Sector Alliance (LSA) was launched today at a breakfast summit hosted by DLA Piper.

The LSA's main objective is to take a leadership role in driving environmental sustainability in the legal sector. The Law Society and DLA Piper have both committed themselves to challenging high level environmental initiatives and are working in partnership with BiTC, which held a May Day climate change summit in 2007 in order to encourage businesses from all sectors to take action in this area.

At today's launch there was overwhelming support for the Alliance from in house counsel and senior representatives of national and regional law firms from across the UK. Attendees showed their support for future plans which will see the creation of a Leaders Group, comprising senior chief executives, and a Task Force, made up of sustainability experts within the legal sector. The two groups will advise on overall strategy, priorities and objectives. A full time project manager will also be appointed to ensure that the objectives of the LSA are achieved.

Speaking at the summit Nigel Knowles, CEO at DLA Piper, said: "I am delighted to take a leadership role in this initiative at a time when many law firms, large and small, are rising to the challenge of creating a more sustainable business. This initiative is about collaboration within the legal sector in order to develop best practice and tackle the climate change issues that specifically relate to us as a sector. We can also play an important role as influencers, working with our clients and suppliers to create a more sustainable supply chain going forward.

Andrew Holroyd, Law Society President, said: "The economic and social impacts of climate change are a real threat to business and society but the legal profession is uniquely placed to help tackle that threat. Through the work of the group, we will be providing the profession with the tools to achieve sustainability. Through our law reform committees of expert solicitors we will monitor and shape legislative proposals aimed at protecting the environment through modification of business behaviour to ensure they are necessary, effective and workable."

Julia Cleverdon, Chief executive of Business in the Community, said: "Business is taking a lead on tackling climate change. The bold steps being taken by the 700 companies in the Prince of Wales’s May Day Network on Climate Change are a true manifestation of this.

The Legal Sector Alliance is an outstanding example of how forward thinking businesses can join forces with their peers to really make a difference on this most critical of issues."

As the breakfast summit closed the speakers encouraged law firms and in house counsel to join the LSA, which provides a unique opportunity for collaboration across the sector in order to contribute to the climate change agenda.