Green Law Offices
Sustainability and green initiatives are increasingly informing how we operate and we continue to make thoughtful choices that reduce our environmental impact and contribute to a better future for everyone.
Much of our global office space is LEED certified or a local equivalent, including our Hudson Yards offices in New York, Century Plaza Towers offices in Los Angeles, and 100 Liverpool Street location in London. In Asia, we have joined landlord-sponsored green tenant committees that focus on group sustainability. Our office designs and renovations incorporate energy-reduction technologies, such as actively managed and energy-efficient HVAC systems and “daylight harvesting” lighting configurations.
Milbank locations around the world are committed to reducing, reusing and recycling resources. Our global efforts include using reusable and biodegradable dining products, such as corn-starch-based straws; providing and encouraging the use of ceramic mugs and insulated cups; installing water systems to replace plastic bottles; utilizing eco-friendly cleaning products; and introducing a range of recycling and composting programs.
We select vendors that share our values, such as tree-free product suppliers, sustainable food-service providers and companies that achieve measurable savings in trees, fiber, water and plastic materials. Whenever possible, we use environmentally friendly and/or locally sourced promotional items.
By adopting dual-screen technology, low-storage architecture and efficient work processes, we are creating a more paper-free environment. We also encourage video meetings, offer commuter benefits and remote work options, and replace personal computers with energy-efficient laptops to help reduce our carbon footprint.
As sustainable technologies and best practices continue to evolve, we will adopt new approaches to environmental stewardship.
Green Pro Bono Work
Our extensive pro bono program includes supporting global organizations that promote environmental conservation and prioritize sustainable solutions to the challenges of climate change.
Our clients include:
- Fifth Avenue Committee, which focuses on advancing economic and social justice by building vibrant, diverse communities where residents have genuine opportunities to achieve their goals, as well as the power to shape the community's future. FAC Solar, an affiliate of Fifth Avenue Committee, aims to bring solar power to low-income families in New York City by providing direct subsidies for solar installations to qualifying families who own their homes with a goal of serving mostly Black and Latinx homeowners.
- Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), an organization that is transforming the way the world does business to protect the earth's natural resources. CDP uses the power of measurement and information disclosure to improve the management of environmental risk. By leveraging market forces including shareholders, customers and governments, CDP has incentivized thousands of companies and cities across the world's largest economies to measure and disclose their environmental information.
- The Commonwealth, an association of 54 countries with shared goals focusing on development, democracy and peace. Together with the Cloudburst Foundation, the Commonwealth has launched Common Earth, a new international consortium that explores opportunities to collectively create, harness, accelerate and scale-up strategies that restore the damage caused by climate change and achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Milbank also is a member of the Law Firm Sustainability Network (LFSN), an organization that brings together law firms and legal departments committed to promoting the benefits of environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility. The LFSN develops key performance indicators, fosters knowledge-sharing, promotes best practice guidelines and recognizes innovation regarding environmental sustainability in the US legal sector.
