Alongside Mishcon de Reya, Freshfields and other leading law firms, Simmons & Simmons has contributed to the Greener Litigation Pledge, which seeks to reduce the environmental impact of court proceedings and other aspects of dispute resolution.
The launch of this pledge is the first output from Greener Litigation, a group of solicitors' firms, barristers' chambers and litigation service providers who intend to carry out their litigation work in a more environmentally mindful way. Among other targets, the Greener Litigation Pledge aims to reduce the environmental impact of dispute resolution in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5°C.
Moreover, Simmons, along with the other firms involved, has committed to take active steps to reduce the two principal sources of emissions incurred by litigants: printed documents and international travel.
Commenting on the significance of the pledge, Robert Allen, a Litigation & Arbitration partner in the firm, said: "I am proud that Simmons' dispute resolution team has contributed to the launch of the Greener Litigation Pledge. The fact that several leading firms and chambers have set out to reduce the impact of their proceedings is testament to the way that the legal sector is holding itself to account and determining what more it can do to tackle climate change. As for Simmons, we were the first international law firm to achieve carbon neutral status in 2006 and through the green room, our firmwide environmental sustainability network, we are committed to expansive thinking about the climate emergency and effecting meaningful change."
Basil Woodd-Walker, a member of the Greener Litigation Steering Committee, said: "Climate change is an emergency facing all of us. It is important that the legal profession plays its part in addressing that challenge. It has been a privilege to be part of the team responsible for drafting the Greener Litigation Pledge. The challenge now will be turning aspirations into action."
To read more about the green room, click here.