News & Views

CDP (previoulsy called the Carbon Disclosure Project) is targeting 707 companies over 46 countries for not disclosing their climate change, water security and deforestation data. This is part of CDP's 2019 Non-Disclosure Campaign, which aims to drive corporate transparency around these issues. Investors are asking for this information to make corporate engagement decisions and the need will continue to increase as community ESG awareness grows. Read the article from Sustainable Business HERE. 

In a recent Corporate Counsel Show, Katrina Bullock, General Counsel for Greenpeace Australia emphasised that shareholders have an expectation that business needs to do what is best for the shareholder, no matter what, and that includes looking at the community - the whole package needs to be considered to provide your social licence to operate. She also raised the issue of having an environmental judgement rule in terms of director's duties. Read the article HERE.

BLM has set out its mission to become a paperless firm. The firm embarked on a ‘paper-lite’ approach in 2015, reducing its filing space and encouraging the scanning of all case files and post supported by the introduction of collaboration software to support agile working.The paper-lite approach resulted in a reduction of six million less sheets of paper. The firm will now go one step further with Birmingham becoming paperless. The firm's goal is for half of its lawyers to be working in a paperless way during 2020. READ MORE 

AusLSA member firm, Herbert Smith Freehills, has confirmed that women will comprise 35 percent of partners and partner leadership roles by 2023. HSF CEO Mark Rigotti noted that women in partnership increased from 81 to 124 in the five years since the original targets were set and that the firm is making real progress with gender diversity in the partnership.

Read more the Lawyers Weekly article HERE.

AusLSA is proud to be a sponsor for 'The Legal Festival', which  is home to four independent conferences: Innovation & Tech, Client Experience & Marketing, Talent & Diversity, and NextGen Lawyers, each with their own hot topics, schedule, speakers and more. Your ticket to The Legal Festival is a ticket to two amazing days of content, networking and knowledge-sharing across all four conferences. Bringing together 500+ legal professionals to celebrate the talent, technology, innovations and ideas that are literally transforming the way law firms and in-house legal teams operate. Click HERE for more information and to register.

In conjunction with AusLSA member firm McCullough Roberston, AusLSA is proud to be a sponsor of 'Year 101' - Women in Law - The next 100 Years. 
Following the 2018 milestone of 100 years of women practising law, this event considers at the challenges and opportunities for the next 100 years.

Click HERE to see the brochure. Click HERE to find out more and to register for this event.
$5 from every registration goes to the NSW Women's Legal Service.

Congratulations to AusLSA  member firms Minter Ellison, Herbert Smith Freehils and Allens who have been ranked 21st, 23rd and 25th, respectively on the Linkedin Top Companies list. All of these firms cited that success includes communication and listening to staff about the things that are the most important to them. Be sure to take a look at the 2018 AusLSA member report for these firms and see their initiatives in more detail.

Also see a press release from Minter Ellison about their ranking HERE.

Noticed, is the first inter-firm diversity network in the UK and has recently released a report which includes their top five recommendations which enable firms to continue to show their support for multiculturalism and diversity recruitment. The UK arm of AusLSA member firm, Herbert Smith Freehills has been heavily involved with the production of the report, however members of NOTICED include many of AusLSA international firms.
See the announcement on the NOTICED website HERE, and read the report HERE.

A team of lawyers from AusLSA member firm, DLA Piper, have delivered the first "Know Your Rights Legal Empowerment Program" in Australia. This program is part of DLA Piper's global pro bono practice and empowers young refugees and migrants to stand up for their rights, and provides them with guidance on how to find legal help. DLA are proud to support participants develop their legal knowledge in this powerful program.

See the DLA Piper press release HERE.

A recent article from AusLSA member firm Clayton Utz examines issues where boards cannot ignore climate change risks in corporate decision making. Under the current legislation, directors could be found liable for breaching their duty of care according to comments from ASIC, APRA and the RBA.

Read the report HERE, and be sure to consider if the AusLSA EMS program is right for your firm.