National law firm Freeths has become the first in the UK Top 50 to achieve B Corp accreditation. The firm received the thumbs up last month that it has been accredited B Corp, making it the largest firm in the UK so far to do so. B Corp accreditation is a private certification given to […]
Shoosmiths has significantly cut its business travel-related emissions, after introducing several carbon-saving initiatives across the firm. The firm reported that it has cut emissions related to air travel by 56 per cent between the 2019/20 and 2022/23 financial periods, while rail and road travel have seen a 15 per cent and a 9 per cent […]
In the UK, as elsewhere, the environment is in a parlous state. Deeply concerning adverse environmental trends continue. Urgent action is needed to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises. Businesses often want to do the right thing and NGOs are active in the sector. Even so, the environment often lacks a ‘voice’, with few economic […]
Osborne Clarke is the latest firm to switch to a sustainability-linked loan, giving it a financial incentive to improve its social and environmental footprint. The firm has renewed its £15m revolving credit facility with HSBC and has tied the interest rate to its performance relating to gender diversity, pro bono and greenhouse gas emissions. Osborne […]
DWF has pulled together a team to offer legal services to support the booming vegan industry and play a bigger part in curbing the climate crisis. The newly-created team, which kicks off this month to coincide with ‘Veganuary’, will house expertise spanning food, cosmetics, ESG, employment, pensions and litigation, to name a few. Heading the […]
With ESG becoming business-critical, GCs are increasingly impatient of how firms are packaging their advice
Travers Smith saved over 10 tonnes of carbon emissions over Christmas by shutting down its London office. The firm decided to close for one week between Christmas and the New Year, leaving just one floor open for staff who still needed to work from 10 Snow Hill. A central collaborative workspace on this floor was created, […]
From projects lawyer in Australia to chair and co-head of international energy and utilities at Bird & Bird, Michael Rudd discusses the firm’s focus on the green economy and the energy transition.
As law firms get to grips with evaluating their supply chains to improve those all-important scope three emissions, The Lawyer explores what’s more sustainable: a real Christmas tree or a fake one?
According to crooner Andy Williams, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. Though there are fewer kids jingle belling and more partners bill chasing. For the most prestigious law firms in the country, it’s also the time to fully embrace that vast office atrium by adorning it with the grandest Christmas tree available. Addleshaw […]
Given we are in the midst of the festive season, it is worth calling to mind a heart-warming Christmas movie that lawyers can no doubt all relate to. Martin McDonagh’s dark comedy In Bruges is a film in which two hitmen end up stuck in the eponymous Belgian town awaiting orders from their boss. As […]
Every law firm and his dog seems to be moving into a green office at the moment, but how important is that really when it comes to a law firm’s impact on the environment? With COP28 well underway in Dubai, for the last episode of The Lawyer Podcast for 2023, we dive into one of the […]