Rule of Law and Role of Lawyers in Climate Change

Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time. And lawyers have an essential role to play in tackling it. This in-person event will bring together a diverse panel of leading voices from across the legal profession to provoke constructive dialogue. They’ll be exploring:

• how climate considerations now permeate every area of legal practice how international and domestic climate cases are shaping English and Welsh law
• the intersection of climate change with the rule of law and professional ethics
• the Law Society’s updated climate change guidance and National Survey on lawyers’ Climate Change progress

Five years on from COP26 in Glasgow, climate change has shifted from a specialist concern to a mainstream legal consideration. Whether you’re an environmental lawyer, a corporate practitioner trying to navigate ESG requirements, or simply curious about how climate issues intersect with your work, this event is for you. You’ll learn from a variety of perspectives – from large city firms to climate NGO’s – on how the rule of law frames the responsibilities of lawyers navigating complex climate considerations. The panel event will be followed by drinks reception, where you’ll have the opportunity to network with likeminded peers facing similar challenges.

6pm – 6:30pm
Registration

6:30pm – 7:15pm
Opening & Keynote
Advocate General for Scotland , Baroness Smith of Cluny KC
Dana Denis-Smith OBE, Deputy Vice President, The Law Society

7:15pm – 8:15pm
Panel Discussion

Chaired by: Caroline May, Chair of the Law Society Climate Change Committee

Panellists:

• Kirsty Brimelow KC, Chair, Bar Council
• Laura Clarke, CEO, ClientEarth
• John Dernbach, Professor Emeritus, Widener University, American Bar Association
• Penny Kisiel, Managing Associate General Counsel, Global Corporate and Institutional Banking Sustainability Lead (Legal)

8:15pm – 9:30pm
Drinks reception & networking