The realities of escalating resource demand, environmental degradation and climate change are all dramatically transforming the way many businesses make decisions and conduct operations. We believe law firms should join their clients in this effort. Our attorneys work with clients to not only develop innovative solutions to environmental challenges, but also to think of environmental stewardship as their own personal responsibility. Understanding what sustainability involves will help us better counsel our clients about the steps they need to take.
We believe in encouraging environmentally sustainable practices—in ways both big and small. This means supporting the growth of the cleantech and renewable energy industries through our legal work and also making simple changes firmwide that help minimize our ecological impact.
Our legal leadership
Our attorneys have a genuine passion for and understanding of the business and issues related to the sustainability movement. They have strong industry backgrounds, and years of experience guiding clients through:
- Developing wind, solar, biomass and geothermal facilities, from project finance to siting and permitting issues
- Advancing federal, regional and state legislative and regulatory proposals involving climate change
- Renewable electricity credit and carbon offset transactions
- Securing and maintaining intellectual property rights for green technologies
- Climate change disclosures issues
- Climate change-related litigation
- Sustainability trends, developments and new regulations
Davis Wright Tremaine has two real estate attorneys who are LEED Accredited Professionals: Lloyd Chee in Seattle, Wash., and Monique Lee Hawthorne in Portland, Ore., both of whom are available to consult regarding the details of LEED v3 as well as existing LEED rating systems.
Our firm culture
We are committed to cultivating positive habits among our attorneys and staff—we believe in our collective power to make a difference. We started forming local “green teams” in our offices in 1991. In 2008 we created a formal firmwide green team, comprising both attorneys and staff, to promote a dialogue of awareness and to challenge one another to “reduce, then recycle.” The sustainable practices our offices have implemented include:
- Stocking reusable or compostable dishware and flatware
- Providing composting bins in our kitchens
- Utilizing 100 percent post-consumer, ancient forest-friendly business cards and stationery
- Encouraging friendly challenges between offices in developing sustainable practices and reducing our carbon footprint
- Participating in a “greenhouse gas emissions challenge” with Holland & Hart, a firm similar in size and culture to us, to see which firm can reduce its carbon footprint the most
- Providing desk-side paper recycling receptacles at all workstations
- Providing recycling receptacles for glass and plastic containers
- Stocking office supplies made with recycled content
- Replacing bottled water with filtered tap water in our offices
- Providing the option to receive pay stubs electronically
- Encouraging videoconferencing as an alternative to traveling for meetings
- Offering conference attendees the option of receiving conference materials on a thumb drive rather than on paper
- Donating old equipment and furniture to schools or community recycling centers
- Partnering with vendors who share our commitment to environmentally sustainable practices
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