ESG Catches Fire: Can Law Firms Play a Role in Sustainability and Human Rights?

By Lisa Shuchman

Lisa Shuchman is Executive Editor of Law.com International. At ALM she has also worked for The American Lawyer and Corporate Counsel. Prior to joining ALM, she worked in Japan for The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, and in the U.S. for the Associated Press, The Industry Standard, and regional newspapers. Contact her at lshuchman@alm.com. On Twitter: @LisaLawReporter

This content originally appeared February 19, 2021 in The Global Lawyer — Law.com's weekly summary of the major news and trends affecting the global legal industry. 



Much of the world is celebrating the Year of the Ox this week—a year in the Lunar Calendar that symbolizes honesty, patience, hard work and positivity. And much of the world is feeling more positive, as people are finally able to imagine a post-COVID future.

But as the threat of the virus still looms, as global warming continues to destroy the planet, and as people across the globe fight oppression and persecution in different forms, corporations and law firms are beginning to acknowledge that they have a role to play in making a difference.

This has become evident in our recent reporting on environmental, social and governance practices, which are proliferating at law firms around the globe. The momentum is driven by government regulations, institutional investors, and corporate clients.

Dylan Jackson wrote last week that Seyfarth Shaw announced it has formed an ESG group, co-led by attorneys based in London, Chicago and San Francisco. The same day, Hunton Andrews Kurth announced the formation of its ESG group. And Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe bolstered its ESG practice with the hire of Ashley Walter, an expert in corporate and social responsibility, who will head the firm’s ESG team. And earlier this month, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher announced its new ESG practice.

In Hong Kong, a former Jones Day partner launched a boutique law firm in Hong Kong last week that will focus entirely on sustainability. Ben McQuhae, an expert in sustainable finance, told Vincent Chow that his decision to launch his firm was prompted in part by pledges made by the governments of China, Hong Kong, Korea and Japan to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in the next few decades. McQuhae has also committed his firm to being a net-zero firm.

Other firms have also entered the fray. Last month, Asia correspondent Jessica Seah wrote that Rajah & Tann Singapore launched a sustainability practice; in November, Clifford Chance established an ESG taskforce; and in October, Baker McKenzie named its first chief sustainability officer.

A few firms have even committed to changes of their own. In December, Herbert Smith Freehills said it would cut its carbon emissions to net-zero by 2030, Varsha Patel wrote. Back in April, Meganne Tillay wrote that CMS is aiming to become carbon neutral by 2025. And last month Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer announced it plans to dramatically cut its use of airplanes as part of a five-year environment strategy for the firm. It has set out formal targets to reduce carbon emissions from global business travel by 30%, which will largely be focused on flying less, Varsha wrote.

Some firms have been ahead of the curve, steadily building up ESG practices for some time, including Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Ashurst and Winston & Strawn. In fact, as Hannah Roberts wrote in December, law firms have been scrambling to keep up with growing client demand for sustainability advice.

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