Law firms have traditionally had a culture of contributing to society through pro bono, community investment and philanthropy. But in addition to supporting their local communities, they are now devoting greater attention than ever before to environmental and workplace issues.

Download table of contents

Corporate Social Responsibility for Law Firms is an in-depth exploration of recent developments, best practices and the tools and tactics that are helping forward-thinking firms devise and manage successful strategies that maximise the effectiveness of their CSR activities and guide their future direction.

In particular, it explores the key challenges and opportunities that law firms face in devising and managing a CSR agenda that:

• Reflects the nature and direction of the business and supports its strategic priorities;
• Responds to changes in the business environment and the community;
• Meets the shifting expectations of clients and stakeholders;
• Harnesses the interests, attitudes and altruistic aspirations of their people.

The report begins by examining the key internal and external business drivers for investing time, energy and resources in building a holistic CSR framework in terms of:

• The partnership;
• The marketplace;
• The workplace;
• The community.

Corporate Social Responsibility for Law Firms outlines the core activities that are commonly covered by the CSR umbrella:

• Pro bono
• Community and education
• Charities and sponsorship
• Environmental management
• Diversity and workplace culture
• Learning and development
• Policies and codes of behaviour

The report also looks at management issues around planning and implementing an overall strategy. These include choosing themes and activities that reflect the firm’s profile and priorities and the interests of its people; allocating roles and responsibilities; developing a strategy; consulting externally, developing partnerships and implementing and managing projects. 

Other subjects covered include:

• Embedding CSR into ‘business as usual’ as well as informing and engaging external stakeholders through CSR reporting;
• Employee engagement: Internal and external communication and highlighting effective tools and tactics for maximising participation and involvement;
• What should law firms be measuring in terms of CSR and how should they go about it? 
• How should you evaluate the impact of your CSR programme in a way that covers all its disparate elements?
• What are the key performance indicators?
• How do you choose between the numerous benchmarking and auditing organisations?
• What are the key benefits of CSR reporting, which has become much more prevalent among law firms in the past couple of years.