Spotlight on the Legal Industry’s Climate Change Allies: Ashurst
With the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) two weeks away, organizations worldwide have committed to net zero targets and are working on how to deliver them. A new resource for legal professionals supporting these efforts with climate-aligned legal clauses is the Net Zero Toolkit from The Chancery Lane Project (TCLP).
The toolkit is based on TCLP’s vision that every legal contract is an opportunity to contribute positive solutions to climate change, and Thomson Reuters editors are supporting the initiative by incorporating climate-conscious clauses into Practical Law online resources.
To showcase how law firms are working with clients to embed climate clauses into contracts, Legal Current is talking with firms participating in TCLP. Today Ashurst lawyers describe their firm’s support of the project.
Anna-Marie Slot, Ashurst’s global ESG and sustainability partner, who was recently named Most Innovative Sustainable Lawyer at the FT Innovative Lawyers Europe Awards 2021, called TCLP “one of the finest examples of collaborative corporate pro bono.”
“It addresses the needs of our clients for clear market-driven drafting in the evolving area of sustainability, it provides our professionals with an opportunity to contribute to the Race to Zero – whatever their practice area or level of seniority – and supporting TCLP is complementary to and aligned with our strategic focus and commitment as a firm to pro bono,” Slot said.
“It is transforming the way that lawyers think about the impact of climate change risk in their day-to-day work,” added Eleanor Reeves, partner and head of Ashurst’s London environment and safety practice. “Lawyers from across the profession collaborate on drafting climate-conscious clauses through legal hackathons, covering just about every type of legal agreement out there. What has already been achieved by the TCLP is seriously impressive, and what is planned is even more so. It is exciting to be part of the transformation.”
Slot agreed: “We are proud to contribute to the legal profession’s efforts to create a sustainable and resilient future.”
Watch Legal Current for insights from more law firms fighting climate change. Also, register for a TCLP workshop or webinar, and access the Net Zero Toolkit. For more on how Thomson Reuters is supporting TCLP, read the Practical Law case study.
