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A multitude of multifaceted legal representations are swept up in the pervasive changes required for climate sustainability.�� It would be wrong to frame the challenge as a niche specialty of environmental or “climate change law” applicable only to a few practitioners, clients in limited economic sectors and geographic areas, or isolated matters.�� Instead, the in 2014 pointed to dealing with climate change through legal and institutional reforms and by applying many areas of law.�� Similarly, the in 2019 urged all lawyers – not just climate, environmental, or energy law specialists – “to advise their clients of the risks and opportunities that climate change provides.”�� However, law schools and programs for lawyers have not yet stepped up to train current and future attorneys for climate knowledge and skills.��

A new paper, “Training All Law Students and Lawyers for Climate-Competent Representations”, describes climate change impacts in many practice areas and presents various approaches for closing the gap in climate capabilities for law students and practitioners.�� These approaches span from using climate materials in a variety of law school courses, skills training, and ethics programs, to covering climate developments in diverse bar section publications and bar association resolutions.�� This article builds on a published in 2019 of cases and other materials for integrating climate change capabilities when teaching fundamental competencies in ten high-enrollment law school courses.

In in December 2019, the Secretary-General called on people around the globe to face the need to “urgently change our way of life.”�� To make these transformations, governments, businesses, other organizations, and individuals need attorneys who consider changing climates and responses by governments and courts.�� Going beyond the obvious areas of environmental, energy, and land use law, climate change is affecting practitioners focused on contracts, business associations, civil and criminal litigation, banking, insurance, taxes, bankruptcy/insolvency, family/immigration, and other areas of law.��

In the future, most attorneys will be immersed in climate-affected representations and clients will rely on their competency regarding the changing environmental and legal conditions.�� For a just transition to environmental integrity, WCEL and ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� recommended “environmental legal education and capacity building for all people” in the World Declaration on the Environmental Rule of Law (2016).�� To change our way of life, environmental lawyers should be joined by a multitude of other attorneys in developing and implementing climate solutions for clients.�� All lawyers need to get on board the ship of climate-competent practice as the sea level rises.

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About the Author

Adjunct associate professor teaching environmental law, policy, and advocacy at the University of Illinois (USA).�� WCEL Member since 2014.�� Retired partner, Skadden Arps.�� JD, Harvard Law School.