Almost 40% of law firms in the Legal Sector Alliance (LSA) have cut their carbon footprints in the last year, according to the alliance’s annual report, released today.

In 2010, the average amount of carbon generated per LSA member employee varied between 0.48 and 8.94 tonnes, compared with 0.68 and 9.2 tonnes in 2009.

The LSA, a collaboration of law firms working to reduce the sector’s carbon footprint, also reported a 38% increase in membership over the past 12 months, bringing the number of firms in the alliance to 194. The LSA now comprises more than 30% of solicitors in private practice in England and Wales.

Two thirds (67%) of LSA firms are now actively calculating their carbon footprint, the report says. The report outlines the carbon reduction policies and practices of law firms across the country.

LSA chair Sir Nigel Knowles said: ‘It is testament to the ongoing dedication of the participating firms that, despite economic strains, they have made great efforts in reducing their carbon footprints. Our report clearly highlights the benefits of actioning carbon reduction plans and, while steps towards this goal will often be small, they are by no means insignificant. If adopted across the legal sector as a whole, the carbon reduction policies of the LSA would result not only in a reduction of many thousands of tonnes of carbon emissions but would also generate millions of pounds of cost savings. Carbon reduction should be considered both as a societal necessity and as an important factor in a healthy economy.’