A book that challenges attitudes

This short work has been designed to look like a children’s story book with bold, colourful illustrations. The story revolves around a conversation between an adult and a young penguin. The imagined questions the chick poses to the parent concern the harm oil companies do to the planet. If this is acknowledged, how can any ethical lawyer do their work? 

Lawyers, the argument goes, should rethink their attitude to working for oil companies, and the profession as a whole should ensure there are ethical limits and greater transparency. 

The authors propose that any potential clients should know if the prospective solicitors’ firm represents ‘polluting’ companies. Moreover, they should publicly announce which oil and gas companies they represent. And lawyers should have climate science training. The writer says that firms should make, ‘environmental and human rights considerations central to hiring... [and] career development’. 

This book challenges our attitudes. People will disagree about how far the profession should restrict acting for unpopular clients. Why stop at fossil fuel clients? Why not motor car manufacturers and arms dealers? 

David Pickup is a partner at Pickup & Scott Solicitors, Aylesbury