In professional services firms we are now beginning to see an increased focus on “advised emissions”. The Law Society of England Wales has recently published guidance on the impact of climate change on solicitors, in which, among other things, it asks solicitors to consider the climate impact of their client work and climate related issues/risks when deciding whether or not to act for particular clients.

In addition to environmental considerations, many professional services firms are considering more generally how they can realistically entrench ESG into their own business, people and client strategies.

Join our panel of experts at the next Professional Practices Alliance webinar, ‘Moving the ESG needle for law firms: deciding what matters and what can be achieved’, taking place on Tuesday 18 July. In this session, we will consider:·        Materiality – What is important and hence needs to be managed, and what is not (hence can lead to accusations of ‘greenwashing’?)
 ·        Stakeholders – How do firms decide who their stakeholders are when determining their policies and approaches to ESG?
 ·        Client acceptance – To what extent should ESG be a factor when considering whether to accept instructions?  How much ESG due diligence should firms be doing on prospective clients?
 ·        Governance – Can firms instil culture/good practice through effective governance?  What can be done if partners/employees make statements or act in a way which challenges that culture?
 ·        Regulation – Should regulators be providing rules or guidance as to when it is or it isn’t appropriate for firms to act for certain clients?Date: Tuesday 18 July
Time: 9am – 10am BST

Webinar Chair:
Andrew Pavlovic, Partner, CM Murray LLP – Professional Discipline and Regulatory Specialist

Speakers:
Robert Millard, Director, Cambridge Strategy Group – Law Firm Strategy and Sustainability Advisor 
Zulon Begum, Partner and Head of Non-Contentious Partnership Practice, CM Murray LLP
Sarah Chilton, Senior Partner, CM Murray LLP – Partnership and Employment law Specialist
 Register your place here.

Should you have any questions that you would like to be put to the speakers, please email Andrew Pavlovic.
 Is Your Firm prepared for the Financial Year Ahead?
Key Trends and Challenges for Professional Services Firms in 2023/24We are also delighted to share with you the recording of our recent webinar, ‘Is Your Firm prepared for the Financial Year Ahead? Key Trends and Challenges for Professional Services Firms in 2023/24’, in which our expert panel discuss the financial year ahead for professional services firms. Listen to the recording here and see below for further details. In this webinar, you can hear from Chair, Corinne Staves (CM Murray LLP), and speakers Robert Millard (Cambridge Strategy Group), David Shufflebotham (Pep Up Consulting) and Andrew Pavlovic (CM Murray LLP) as they discuss the following issues to include in professional service firms ‘to do’ list for the next financial year: ·        How to remain profitable and effectively manage the firm’s cash flow at a time of stalled economic growth, inflation, cost of living crisis and basis period reform.
 ·        Implementing a strategy and the importance of having a Plan B strategy, especially during a time where firms are adapting to deliver client services in a new technological era.
 ·        How to maintain and enhance a firm’s culture and productivity in a hybrid working environment, including the impact that long-term hybrid working may have had on a firms culture.
 ·        Key regulatory developments and the practicalities surrounding how to approach them, specifically the new SRA regulations to address toxic work environments by actively challenging behaviours in the workplace.
 ·        Whether ChatGPT could spell the end of lawyers or whether it can be harnessed to improve service delivery and profitability of firms.
 ·        The potential regulatory issues that arise from using new technology (such as Chat GPT) to assist with delivering client services.
 ·        The increasing need for professional service firms to address environmental issues.Listen to the recording here

If you would like to discuss any of the above issues in further detail, please contact Partner, Corinne Staves, who specialises in partnership issues for firms and partners. SAVE THE DATESWe have an exciting program of webinars planned for the next few months:

19 September 2023: ‘Judgment Day: the adoption of AI and machine learning by professional firms, and the associated risks, opportunities and challenges for firms’

29 November 2023: ‘Professional Firm Mergers’The Professional Practices Alliance is a multi-disciplinary collaboration between leading UK independent legal, accounting and law firm management specialist advisers, CM Murray LLP, Pep Up Consulting and Cambridge Strategy Group.