Foley Hoag LLP has announced new commitments to accelerate a sustainable future. The firm sees this as an important step for the communities in which it operates, and in ensuring transparency and accountability in its efforts to address climate change.

As part of this pledge, the firm has joined the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance (NZLA), a global network of law firms. NZLA is dedicated to providing net zero-aligned legal services and driving systemic development of commercial law in alignment with the transition to zero emissions by 2050. Foley Hoag joins other early adopter law firms and a network of Friends of the Alliance, representing more than 100,000 lawyers across 40+ jurisdictions. 

"We are proud to walk the walk of sustainability, joining many of our clients and friends. Being part of NZLA contributes to the collective effort of the legal profession to address the urgent challenge of climate change, and will assist the firm in its long-term effort to reach net-zero carbon emissions," said Managing Partner Jim Bucking. "From the exciting work Foley Hoag is doing for our renewable energy clients, to the efforts of our lawyers in our communities, and now our participation in NZLA, the firm is playing a leading role in the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy."

As a member of the NZLA, Foley Hoag has committed to transition its own operations to net-zero emissions by 2050, and to integrate climate change considerations into its legal services and client advice regarding decarbonization goals. 

Foley Hoag has also formed a Sustainability Council, comprised of firm leaders, energy & climate attorneys, and policy advisors. The Council is charged with examining the firm’s environmental-footprint and establishing initiatives, infrastructure, and processes that reinforce the environmental strategy firm-wide. Foley Hoag has engaged Arup, Inc., a global sustainability consulting firm, to assist in ensuring that its accounting and mitigation efforts are consistent with industry standards and good practice. 
 
"As a business, we have a responsibility to build a more sustainable planet. It is core to who we are as a global firm and who we align ourselves with professionally,” said Foley Hoag Chief Operating Officer Diane Scheffler. "Through the work we do for our clients and our own collective and individual efforts, we are making a positive impact on the fight against climate change."