HFW has joined forces with a group of leading law firms to launch the ‘Greener Litigation Pledge’ – a legal industry initiative to reduce the environmental impact of dispute resolution.
HFW worked alongside the other steering committee members – including Mishcon de Reya and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer – to develop the Pledge, which has a particular focus on minimising printed documents and business travel relating to litigation in England and Wales.
The firm is also part of the steering committee for the Green Pledge for arbitration, and is a signatory of a pledge for gender equality in arbitration.
HFW recently launched a new sustainability strategy and appointed Management Board member Giles Kavanagh as its first sustainability partner.
Damian Honey, Disputes Partner, HFW:
“The Covid-19 pandemic forced us all to adapt to new and ultimately more sustainable ways of conducting litigation, with lockdown restrictions necessitating a switch to remote hearings and electronic documents. As an industry, we must build on this experience and ensure that we don’t simply revert to the old ways of doing things. The goal is to reach a point where the most environmentally sustainable options in litigation and dispute resolution become the default, rather than a conscious decision.”
Nicola Gare, Disputes PSL, HFW:
“It has been great to see so many litigators come together and collaborate on the Steering Committee. I am proud that HFW, as one of the most active users of the English Courts, is an early adopter of the Greener Litigation Pledge, which complements the work we are doing in relation to the Greener Arbitration Pledge. We will continue to work with other industry stakeholders to drive positive, sustainable change in dispute resolution, for the benefit of our colleagues, our clients, and everyone in the HFW community.”
All organisations engaged in the conduct of litigation are invited to sign the Greener Litigation Pledge. To find out more, visit: https://greenerlitigation.org/