Sustainable Development in Law Practice: A Lens for Addressing All Legal Problems

Abstract

While it is widely recognized that lawyers have an important role to play in fostering sustainable development, and while a growing number of lawyers describe themselves as doing sustainability work, it is less clear what they actually do. This article, which is based on interviews with 26 lawyers who practice or have practiced law related to sustainability, provides a first assessment of what this work actually entails. It describes what these lawyers understand sustainability or sustainable development to mean — both as defined and as applied. It explains who their clients are and what they do for them, and provides insight into the dynamics of attorney-client conversations related to sustainability. It describes key personal and professional qualities of these lawyers — how they became interested, and what they like and do not like about doing work related to sustainability. Finally, by exploring what these lawyers see as obstacles to sustainability and where the jobs are in sustainability-related law, it sheds light on the future of sustainability in law practice.

Keywords: sustainable development, sustainability, sustainable, law firm, law practice

JEL Classification: K00, K3, K19, K32, N5, O13, Q2