The legal profession in Northern Ireland, like many other sectors, is increasingly under pressure to align with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. Whilst ESG has traditionally been associated with corporate responsibility, it is now becoming a much more important and practical aspect of law firm operation generally and affecting all departments, particularly the area of civil litigation.

Traditionally, civil litigation has been a very carbon intensive area of law, with a heavy reliance on paper-based documents and processes together with the perpetual travel required between offices, consultations and courtrooms. However, by integrating ESG considerations into how disputes are handled, legal practitioners can help promote sustainable practices and responsible governance for both clients and their own practices.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the legal sector had to quickly adapt to remote working, electronic bundles, virtual hearings, and online meetings, which all rapidly became standard practice. Initially these innovations were adopted to keep the system running during lockdown, however they also had the welcome outcome of significantly reducing the environmental impact of litigation.

With the return to in-person hearings and meetings there is also a temptation to revert back to the old paper-based processes and approaches. This would quickly undo the progress made during the pandemic and there should be an awareness and a commitment by litigation teams to make a conscious effort to retain those environmentally friendly practices such as:

• Implementing digital file systems and avoiding reliance on paper files;
• Corresponding electronically unless hard copies are expressly required;
• Utilising electronic bundles and avoiding excessive printing;
• Conducting meetings and consultations remotely where possible;
• Using suppliers and service providers who are committed to reducing their carbon footprint;

At Millar McCall Wylie, whilst we regularly advise clients on the wide and complex ESG issues which can arise for any business, we are also committed to embedding sustainability into our own litigation practices. For example we have invested heavily in our IT hardware and software which allows our solicitors to manage their voluminous litigation caseloads in as carbon-friendly a manner as possible and we operate a paperless system wherever possible and a deliberately paper-light approach when paperless is not appropriate.

Should you require any advice or assistance with any ESG-related matter, please contact our ESG department on 0289020050 or email mmw@mmwlegal.com.