CCBE calls for firms to adopt social responsibility

Large law firms around Europe are facing a co-ordinated push to adopt corporate social responsibility principles after the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) called on its members to take action.

Last summer, the European Commission published a green paper on the issue, and the CCBE - which represents Europe's lawyers at an EU level - this week expressed its support for an EU-wide initiative in the field.The CCBE is encouraging its member law societies and bar associations to consider the impact of the principle and 'in particular to consider drawing up guidelines for firms, for instance when operating abroad'.

The Law Society of England and Wales last year became the first to issue such guidelines.CCBE president John Fish - a consultant at top Irish firm Arthur Cox - said: 'In some member states, the services provided by the largest law firms are a growing part of the economy and of exports, and we would encourage our members to enter into a dialogue with their large law firms about the ideals of corporate social responsibility and about how it impacts on their work.'