Understanding The Carbon Footprints Of Traveling Attorneys

Many people love the idea of traveling, but they rarely think about its impact on the environment. One study cited by The New York Times shows that a round trip from New York to San Francisco produces 0.9 metric tons of carbon.

If you have a career that requires regular travel, you need to think about this. Attorneys travel a lot, so they often leave a massive carbon footprint.

The Carbon Footprint of the Legal Profession is Influenced by Travel

Everyone loves traveling and exploring new places. Fun-loving and adventurous people always look for ways to travel to new places. International travel fascinates them and they yearn for a profession that brings them the chances and opportunities to travel. Unfortunately, this means that they might be leaving a large carbon footprint as well.

The legal profession is not known for its small carbon footprint. One study showed that law firms reported to the LSA left 191,836 tons of carbon emissions. This is largely due to the amount of trips they take.

Being an attorney is one of the professions where you can get opportunities for travel. As a part of their job, some attorneys get the chance to visit new areas within the country and abroad. If you are truly concerned about the environment, you need to consider this and find ways to manage your law practice to lower your carbon footprint. Here are some of the specific practice areas that tend to travel more.

Divorce Attorney

Divorce is depressing, but can also be a source of relief for someone whose partner is toxic or cheating. Some divorce attorneys, like Attorney Justin Oliver, are often tasked to check on their client’s partner who may be living abroad. Divorce attorneys might also be required to travel if the marriage took place in another country than the one the couple is living now.

This means that divorce attorneys can leave a large carbon footprint if they have clients that are separated from their spouses. Fortunately, they can lower their carbon footprint by trying to handle the process through VoIP as much as possible. They may still need to travel to file the case though.  Of course, if a divorce attorney has to travel to Dubai, they also have to think about the carbon footprint they leave while they are there. Fortunately, Dubai is trying to have the smallest carbon footprint in the region.

Corporate Attorneys

Corporations often bring along their attorneys for business deals and matters. Corporate attorneys fly around the world and sometimes in private jets. They are lucky to work in multinational companies. They have to travel to offices in other countries for the job. They have to collaborate with their peers there and review and collect any relevant records. Corporations often hire for long terms. When expansion is necessary, attorneys are often a key part of the setup process.

Attorneys working for large corporations can leave some of the largest carbon footprints. You need to seriously consider this profession if you are committed to environmental sustainability.

Business Consultants

Businesses cannot run without consultants. They need someone to support their growth and give them ideas for their success. Traveling for business and giving consultancy services to offices for growth is necessary. They cannot evaluate the situation from the offices of their own country. There can be specific circumstances present in different countries due to cultural differences. Thus, consultants must go to these places first-hand and find a solution. This can contribute to their carbon footprint.

Personal Injury Attorney

Lawyers practicing in federal court often get the chance to travel. They also have to deal with the diversity of cultures and people in the world. They can work with clients from different companies and countries. They need to go and physically meet with their clients.

Some people hire attorneys around the globe for their services. Thus, it is a great idea to consider building a career as an attorney. You will be able to provide services to people around the world and fulfill your desire to travel. If you work in one of the practice areas above, you may even get the chance to work with international companies and big law firms.

Lawyers Leave a Huge Carbon Footprint Due to Traveling

Lawyers are known for a huge carbon footprint. The trips they take plays an important role in this. If you want to be an eco-friendly lawyer, you should consider your chosen specialty and the manner in which you can do your job without traveling a lot.