Extinction Rebellion activists recently targeted the City in its climate change demonstrations, once more prompting the question: should law firms be representing – and profiting from – some of the world’s biggest carbon emitters?
Partner and Head of Mishcon Purpose Alexander Rhodes spoke with The Law Society Gazette about the role that law firms play in helping to protect the environment.
Alexander explained:
"If we’re going to tackle the existential problems of climate change and biodiversity loss, businesses which have the largest footprint – which are often the businesses that have the largest influence – need advice as to how to change.
If their access to legal advice is just cut off, they’re going to be hampered in making that change. Everyone agrees that we need to move away from fossil fuels. But you can’t just move away from fossil fuels today. It’s a question of how you do it. There is money and there is work in the transformation.
I think we’re moving towards a time where every business is effectively a public business. There is a far greater expectation on businesses to behave responsibly today than there ever has been before."
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