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Article analysis:

The article “Law Firms in the ESG Game” by Harvard Law School Center on the Legal Profession explores the emergence of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) practices in law firms. The article highlights how law firms are increasingly viewing ESG as part of their wider missions and investing in thought leadership and law school opportunities to train and educate the next generation of ESG lawyers. The article also documents why ESG has become an essential tool for every lawyer and law firm in today’s competitive atmosphere.

The article provides a detailed account of how Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP was one of the first major law firms to create a dedicated position for sustainability. The firm appointed Timothy Wilkins as global partner for client sustainability in March 2020, with a mandate to track and coalesce any part of business that might touch sustainability. Since then, almost all major firms have named partners in charge of ESG explicitly or sustainability more broadly.

While the article provides valuable insights into how law firms are adopting ESG practices, it is not without its biases. For instance, the article focuses primarily on the benefits of ESG practices for law firms and their clients but does not explore potential risks associated with these practices. Additionally, while the article notes that some U.S. senators have warned top law firms that their ESG practices could be considered an antitrust violation, it does not provide any counterarguments or explore this issue further.

Furthermore, while the article highlights how young lawyers are concerned about gaining skills to be a fantastic lawyer and using those skills to help society more broadly with impact, it does not address concerns about whether these young lawyers may be pressured to prioritize ESG over other legal considerations when advising clients.

Overall, while “Law Firms in the ESG Game” provides valuable insights into how law firms are adopting ESG practices, readers should approach this article with caution and consider potential biases and missing points of consideration.