A BRAND IS WHAT YOU DO, NOT JUST WHAT YOU SAY
You can no longer rely on prestige alone to define your law firm. Today, how you operate, who you serve, and what you stand for matters more than ever. ESG: Environmental, Social, and Governance, isn’t just a corporate buzzword; it’s a reflection of your firm’s integrity and values. In India’s advertising-restricted legal market, reputation is everything. Clients and talent are looking beyond credentials, they’re drawn to purpose-driven firms. Embedding ESG into your practice isn’t just good ethics; it’s smart strategy. It sets you apart, fosters trust, and builds alignment with future-focused businesses. ESG is not an obligation, it’s your brand in action.
WHY ESG IS A BRANDING ‘GAME-CHANGER’
Today’s clients want more than expertise they want law firms that reflect their values. As expectations around transparency, sustainability, and social responsibility grow, ESG is becoming a strategic differentiator. Embracing ESG strengthens internal culture, builds trust, and enhances credibility. It appeals to purpose-driven talent and attracts future focused clients from green tech and impact start-ups to ethical investors and NGOs. In a profession where advertising is restricted, reputation is everything. Firms with a clear ESG identity are more resilient during scrutiny and more relevant in today’s evolving landscape. ESG isn’t a checkbox it’s how law firm’s future-proof their brand and drive lasting value.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
Paperless offices are great, but they’re just the beginning. Today’s clients and team members notice when a firm walks the talk, whether it’s switching to energy-efficient buildings, reducing waste, or aligning with environmental causes. Green certifications like LEED or IGBC aren’t just feel-good logos but they are proof that your firm is serious about sustainability and they make for powerful talking points in your brochures, website, and social media.
In June 2024, the Economic Times reported that SNG & Partners collaborated with Singapore-based ESG consultancy Snowkap to build an ESG+Legal platform, analysing over 4,000 ESG-related data points under Indian laws. As highlighted by KnowESG and Law.Asia, this platform enables carbon accounting, supply-chain GHG analysis, product carbon foot printing, ESG reporting, and both pre- and post-deal ESG assessments, tailored for sectors such as manufacturing, consumer businesses, and financial institutions.
Internally too, SNG’s commitment goes beyond client advisory. According to the firm’s official website, it is a signatory to the Green Impact Group, embedding environmental sustainability into workplace policies and operations. The firm has also developed an online, industry-specific ESG due diligence assessment tool, a questionnaire-based system that supports lenders, investors, and SMEs with baseline audits and gap analysis.
Together, these initiatives show how SNG channels ESG from back end systems to front line client services and from external compliance to internal culture and innovation.
A strong brand plays? Imagine positioning your firm as India’s First Green-Rooted Legal Advisory. It’s authentic, bold, and headline worthy. Suddenly, you’re not just a law firm but you are considered as a movement.
CULTURE IS YOUR QUIET SUPERPOWER
A law firm’s culture is its heartbeat and people feel it. ESG offers a powerful lens to showcase what your firm already stands for: fairness, community, responsibility, and wellbeing. In the Indian context, values like regional representation, language diversity, and equitable opportunities hold deep cultural importance.
Whether it’s encouraging second-language fluency, supporting women in leadership, or ensuring transparency in promotions, these actions reflect a firm rooted in ethics and empathy.
Employee wellbeing also speaks volumes. Mental health initiatives, mentorship opportunities, and a supportive work environment help build trust and loyalty within your team. And don’t overlook your pro bono work. From helping women-led collectives with compliance challenges to offering legal aid to underserved communities, these efforts create lasting impact and deserve to be seen.
BUILDING TRUST THROUGH GOVERNANCE
G in ESG stands for Governance, and in the legal world, trust is everything. Clients expect their legal partners to operate with transparency, integrity, and accountability. Start by sharing your internal ethics policies publicly. How do you handle client confidentiality? What checks are in place for conflicts of interest? Being open about your processes shows confidence and builds credibility.
In sectors like Public Interest Law, Environmental Laws, Human Rights, and various Regulated Industries, they matter more than you think.
In July 2022, Reed Smith formally launched its ESG Practice Group, bringing together nearly 60 lawyers globally in transactional, environmental, corporate, regulatory, and dispute roles to advise clients on ESG risks, reporting, and governance structures. The firm has been recognized as an ESG and Community Impact Leader by the National Law Journal in both 2022 and 2023. Highlights include advising major ESG-linked transactions and environmental justice.
This elevated ESG governance practice enables Reed Smith to support clients with legally rigorous ESG strategies, strengthens brand position in sustainable finance and energy transition sectors, and builds firm leadership credentials in DE&I governance.
WEAVING ESG INTO YOUR BRAND STRATEGY
ESG doesn’t belong in a side brochure, it should be front and centre. Use your ESG efforts in client pitches. Share them on social media. Build a dedicated page on your website where clients and recruits can see your impact. Clients who care about ESG want advisors who care too. If you’ve supported a clean tech start-up or helped an NGO navigate regulations, talk about it. These stories position your firm as a go-to for clients in sustainability, healthcare, tech, Environment and other ESG-forward sectors.
Incorporating ESG into your messaging helps differentiate your firm not just as capable lawyers, but as purposeful partners.
TOUGH, BUT IT’S WORTH IT
It takes investment, effort, and often a shift in mindset. And tracking progress especially in areas like sustainability or social responsibility isn’t always straightforward.
But here’s the upside: authenticity goes a long way. You don’t have to be perfect. What matters is that you’re making a genuine effort and being transparent about the journey. In fact, people often connect more with an honest work-in-progress than with a polished but disconnected success story.
CONCLUSION: ESG IS YOUR FIRM’S FUTURE STORY
In a world where everyone claims excellence, ESG lets you show who you are not just as a law firm, but as a responsible, human driven institution. It’s a long-term play, but one with powerful returns i.e. stronger trust, greater visibility, and deeper client relationships. The firms that embrace ESG today won’t just be seen as progressive but as leaders and change makers.
Because in the end, clients don’t just remember the legal advice. They remember how your firm made them feel and what you stood for while doing it. The impact work you do today can become the reason a future client or a future industry chooses you tomorrow.
