At Lincoln House Chambers, we recognise that the legal profession has an important role to play in addressing the environmental challenges facing our society.
We are committed to developing more sustainable ways of working, reducing the environmental impact of our activities and encouraging positive change across the legal profession.
As part of this commitment, Lincoln House Chambers has signed the Greener Litigation Pledge and joined the Bar Sustainability Network.
The Greener Litigation Pledge
The Greener Litigation Pledge is an initiative designed to reduce the environmental impact of dispute resolution in England and Wales. It encourages barristers’ chambers, solicitors’ firms and other organisations involved in litigation to consider the environmental consequences of the way disputes are conducted.
The Pledge recognises that relatively small changes to the way litigation is conducted can collectively make a significant difference. Its objective is to encourage a culture in which environmentally sustainable options increasingly become the default.
By signing the Greener Litigation Pledge, Lincoln House Chambers is committing to taking active and practical steps to reduce, and where possible minimise, the environmental impact of our involvement in litigation and dispute resolution.
In practice, this means that we will seek to:
- Reduce unnecessary printing and paper use, including making greater use of electronic documents and bundles where appropriate;
- Reduce unnecessary travel, considering whether meetings, conferences and other engagements can appropriately take place remotely;
- Consider sustainable travel options for journeys undertaken in connection with our work, where reasonably practicable;
- Consider whether remote or hybrid hearings are appropriate, where this is compatible with the interests of justice and the requirements of the case;
- Use technology effectively to reduce unnecessary physical documents, travel and duplication;
The Bar Sustainability Network (BSN) supports chambers, barristers and others across the profession in transitioning towards more sustainable ways of working.
Originally established by the Bar Council in 2021, the Network provides practical guidance, resources, workshops and opportunities for chambers to measure, manage and reduce their environmental impact. The Network also provides access to a carbon calculator to assist organisations in understanding and monitoring their emissions.
By joining the Bar Sustainability Network, Lincoln House Chambers is committing to engaging with the wider sustainability work of the profession and to improving our understanding of the environmental impact of our own operations.
This includes considering practical measures such as:
- Understanding and monitoring our carbon footprint;
- Reducing energy consumption and waste wherever practicable;
- Reducing reliance on paper and unnecessary printing;
- Considering sustainability when purchasing goods and services;
- Encouraging responsible use of resources across Chambers;
- Sharing knowledge and good practice amongst members and staff; and
- Continuing to identify opportunities to make our day-to-day operations more sustainable.
What this means for Lincoln House
Signing the Greener Litigation Pledge and joining the Bar Sustainability Network represents an important step in our sustainability journey.
We recognise that sustainability is an ongoing process rather than a one-off commitment. We will therefore continue to look at how we can improve the way Chambers operates, reduce unnecessary environmental impacts and encourage sustainable practices in the cases in which we are involved.
Examples of the changes we are seeking to encourage include:
Awareness and engagement.
Encouraging members and staff to understand the environmental impact of their work and to contribute ideas for further improvements.
Our commitment
Our membership of the Bar Sustainability Network and signature of the Greener Litigation Pledge reflect our commitment to making sustainability part of the way we work at Lincoln House Chambers.
We recognise that meaningful change comes from sustained, practical action. We will continue to review our practices, learn from others across the profession and look for opportunities to reduce our environmental impact while maintaining the high standards of advocacy, client service and professional excellence for which Lincoln House Chambers is known.
We are committed to playing our part in building a more sustainable legal profession and a more sustainable future.
For more information regarding our pledge please contact criminal clerk Maddie Bromfield