Green Office Initiative
In keeping with its values, O’Melveny is committed to helping the community it serves protect and enhance the environment. In 2007, the Firm launched its Green Office Initiative to conserve resources and reduce the carbon footprint of its 14 offices around the globe.
Based on the work of a committee that includes lawyers and staff from all offices, our initiative is a success. O’Melveny is among the first law firms to achieve compliance with the ABA-EPA Law Office Climate Challenge Best Paper Practices program. All our US offices met the program’s goals in 2007, including recycling 90 percent of all paper waste and using paper that contains at least 30 percent post-consumer recycled content. Our London office exceeded these goals in 2006 and uses 100 percent recycled paper.
Other firmwide efforts have been broadly recognized.
The New York Times featured O’Melveny’s use of electronic holiday cards during the 2007 holiday season, in an article entitled “E-Greetings Gain Ground at Businesses This Season.”
The greening of our practice also includes initiatives unique to each office, such as those related to energy conservation, recycling, waste reduction, increased use of public transportation, and community efforts to support sustainable use of natural resources. All of O’Melveny’s offices are implementing customized Green Office projects and conducting educational programs for lawyers and staff. For example, our new San Francisco office space, which opened in September 2008, has been awarded Gold certification under the US Green Building Council’s LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System™. With this distinction, O’Melveny has become the first law firm to receive Gold certification—the next-to-highest rating possible in the LEED scale—for renovated space in an existing building. The LEED Green Building rating system is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. Our New York office is a trailblazer among New York businesses in its use of wind power—100% of the office's needs are met by wind power—and was one of 12 businesses honored by ConEdison Solutions as "green pioneers" at a ceremony the company hosted in observance of Earth Day 2009. The Firm's accolade is noted in an article in the April 22 edition of
The New York Times, titled, "
Some of the Bright Lights of New York's Businesses Are Powered by Wind." In addition to its use of wind power, the New York office is a Green Power Partner, Energy Star Partner, and WasteWise Partner under the ABA-EPA Climate Challenge. In 2009, our London office at Warwick Court achieved EcoPerspective's Green Environmental Standard status.
In addition to our internal efforts, the Firm has embarked on a program of charitable contributions to reduce its carbon footprint. For example, since 2006 we have contributed to the Rainforest Alliance (RA), an international nonprofit organization that leads efforts to certify sustainable forestry land use and business practices. We also work with RA on numerous pro bono projects, including international policy affecting the use of forests and carbon sequestration to create carbon credits.
O’Melveny is committed to sustainable practices, proud of its recent accomplishments, and excited about our plans for the future. We look forward to even greater accomplishments, and to collaborating with our clients and communities to act as diligent stewards of our shared environment.
Press and Publications
"
Some of the Bright Lights of New York's Businesses Are Powered by Wind,"
The New York Times (April 22, 2009)
"
Lessons Learned from Wind Farm Litigation” (
American Bar Association - Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, Spring 2009)
by
Lisa Wing Stone and
Sara Zdeb
"
Legal Liability and Green Building" (Real Estate Bisnow; September 30, 2008)
Quotes counsel
Lisa Wing Stone
"The Greening of Older Buildings" (
New York Law Journal, September 29, 2008)
By
Eric Rothenberg and
Lisa Wing Stone
Green Building Laws (
ABA Environmental Transactions and Brownsfields Committee Newsletter, July 2008)
by
Lisa Wing Stone
"Small Steps Can Add Up Big" (
Legal Times, March 31, 2008)
By
Lisa Wing Stone
“E-Greetings Gain Ground at Businesses This Season,”
The New York Times (Dec. 24, 2007)
Quotes partner
Eric Rothenberg
“China Finally Gives Teeth To Environmental Agency,”
The Wall Street Journal (Dec. 18, 2007)
Quotes counsel
Scott Silverman “
Exploring the Carbon Trading Landscape: A New Market Emerges Under Greenhouse Gas Legislation,”
The New York Law Journal (July 18, 2007)
By
Eric Rothenberg and
John Rousakis
“The Calabasas smoking ban: A local ordinance points the way for the future of environmental tobacco smoke regulation,” 80
Southern California Law Review 393 (2007)
By
Jordan Raphael “International Environmental Law,” International Corporate Practice: A Practitioner’s Guide to Global Success (Practising Law Institute 2007)
By
Eric Rothenberg and
John Rousakis
Related Practice Areas
Clean Energy Technology
Climate Change
Energy and Natural Resources
Environmental Law