Examining the legal risks and shifts arising out of Environmental Social Governance issues

The Law Society exists not only to champion the profession, but to challenge it; to draw our members’ attention to emerging issues that will impact their practice and to highlight developing legal issues.

One of the ways we do this is through our very successful Thought Leadership program.

This year, I would like to use our Thought Leadership program to examine the legal risks and the legal shifts arising out of Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) issues and to look at what might be coming down the line.

For example, we know many businesses are grappling with how to respond to critical environmental changes to ensure business resilience, to ensure supply chain continuity, to ensure maintenance of access to capital and insurance in a changing market, as well as how to provide greater levels of corporate accountability and transparency. They are also facing shareholder activism and institutional investor and consumer concerns. All this has the capacity to raise a raft of complex legal issues across a broad range of subject areas, including governance, climate and environmental law, human rights, investigations and regulatory compliance.

In our first Thought Leadership event for the year, we will explore the intersection of climate change and the law and consider the role of legal practitioners in responding to the challenge.

I am delighted to have the following experts joining us on the panel:

• The Hon. Justice Brian Preston FRSN SC, Chief Judge of the Land and Environment Court of NSW
• Cathie Armour, Commissioner, Australian Securities and Investments Commission
• Timothy Stutt, Senior Associate, Herbert Smith Freehills, and
• Sophie Marjanac, Climate Accountability Lead, Client Earth.

“Climate Change and the Emerging Role for Legal Practitioners” will be webcast at 4:30pm, this Wednesday 31 March 2021. Register now for this important discussion on one of the most defining issues of our generation.

Last week, our in-house Corporate Lawyers Committee brought together a panel of defamation law and online branding experts to explore the challenges social media can present. It was an enlightening discussion and recommended viewing for anyone in our profession who engages with social media. The webinar is now available for viewing on-demand via our events portal, along with many of our past events.

I am also enjoying being able to attend more face-to-face events once again, particularly in our regions. I arrived back last night from a packed four-day visit to Albury and the Riverina.  It’s fantastic to be able to meet up with our regional members particularly after the challenges of the past 12 months, and I always learn so much when I do. Thank you to the Albury & District and the Riverina Regional Law Societies for your hospitality and making my visit so enjoyable.

Juliana Warner, President, the Law Society of NSW

< Go back