DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers in 40+ countries, providing legal solutions to businesses worldwide. We therefore have an impact on society in many ways.
DLA Piper’s sustainability strategy is focused on taking action in the areas most important to our business and that have the most influence on society and the environment: our people, our clients, our society, our environment and sound governance. We’re helping our clients transition to, and thrive in, a more sustainable future.
We are aiming to embed sustainability into our end-to-end Early Careers operations. Becoming a signatory of the Sustainable Recruitment Alliance is our external commitment to this.
How are we upskilling our Early Careers populations?
DLA Piper is the first law firm in the world to be accredited as a Carbon Literate Organisation (CLO) by the Carbon Literacy Project. Carbon Literacy is an understanding of the causes and impacts of our everyday carbon emissions and focuses on raising awareness around reducing emissions on ‘an individual, community and organisational basis’.
We want to equip our Early Careers populations with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in a more sustainable future. We will achieve this through introducing a Carbon Literacy Training Programme for our Early Careers populations.
During the programme, apprentices and trainees will:
We held a pilot of this training in February 2024 with those who have been selected to undertake a client or international secondment for their next rotation. Feedback from the pilot will be incorporated into the broader rollout of the training. Sustainability-related training will also be included within our Summer Internship programme.
How are we helping students develop their knowledge of sustainability-related issues?
In October 2023, we launched the DLA Piper Sustainability Moot. This initiative was the first of its kind in the Middle East and was a competition that challenged the brightest legal minds to address complex issues related to sustainability and ESG.
We welcomed over 75 students at our Sustainability Moot Masterclass. 23 teams from 46 universities across Europe, the Middle East and Africa then competed in a series of virtual rounds to address legal problems at the forefront of international sustainability discussions and to contribute to the global conversation on sustainability and environmental justice.
Participating students were able to connect with our lawyers who provided mentoring and support throughout the competition. The finalists, from Trinity College Dublin and the University of Bristol, attended an in-person final in the UAE.
The DLA Piper Sustainability Moot will support the firm’s journey to a more sustainable future, through connecting, debating, and shaping the legal landscape for generations to come.
Together, we can make a difference.