17 Factsheets for Sustainable Lawyering
AVOCATS.BE brings together the French-speaking (10) and German-speaking (1) bar associations, representing and defending the interests of lawyers and litigants. It establishes regulations, harmonizes practices, defines training and oversees the profession's social and political role.
Overview of the project
AVOCATS.BE first set up a “sustainable development” commission, made up of at least one representative from each of its 11 member bars. The commission’s first objective was to provide lawyers with examples of best practice. The committee met regularly, exchanging ideas on concrete actions that could be taken at bar level. These ideas were tested with other lawyers during a half-day workshop organized in conjunction with our summer universities in August 2023. The proposals were then grouped together in 17 practical sheets based on each of the 17 MDGs defined by the UN. They were then published in our newsletter, and we are now trying to make them accessible to as many people as possible by communicating about them and raising awareness among local bars, which could be a good relay.
Drafting of 17 evolving sheets of practical and concrete ideas to help lawyers include their activity and their firm in a sustainable development approach by contributing to the 17 SDGs and raising awareness of the profession by communicating and promoting these sheets in our publications (newsletter), to our member bars and at our events (training courses and conferences).
Ongoing research
09/11/2022 - project still in progress
These initial results of the “sustainable development” commission’s work (definition of the notion of sustainable development and 17 practical information sheets) were published in the AVOCATS.BE (“La Tribune”) electronic newsletter of October 6, 2023, which was sent to the 8,000 lawyers at the bars in the Wallonia-Brussels federation.
This initiative will be relayed in the Brussels Bar’s newsletter to its members.
A testimonial is also planned for April 2024 as part of an afternoon devoted to the environment;
The project has resulted in an introductory fact sheet, defining the notion of sustainable development with a detailed overview of the concept’s origins, its evolution over the decades and its importance in today’s context. This is followed by a series of suggestions for concrete, varied and crucial actions, grouped together in 17 practical sheets. Suggested actions for ODD 13 include, for example: organizing in-house training on climate change and its challenges (climate fresco), calculating one’s carbon footprint, engaging in genuine dialogue with the firm’s suppliers, providing financial support for media and associations concerned by the climate crisis.
No funding (the lawyers who collaborated on the work of the "sustainable development" commission did so voluntarily and free of charge).
organisation
The Ordre des barreaux francophones et germanophone (AVOCATS.BE) is the umbrella organization for all the bar associations in the French-speaking (10) and German-speaking (1) parts of the country. Click here to view the map. Its role, defined by law, is to represent and defend the interests of the legal profession, as well as those of the public. AVOCATS.BE represents the entire legal profession and expresses its opinion on certain draft laws and on the administration of justice, with a view to guaranteeing access to justice for all. It draws up professional and ethical regulations, oversees the harmonization of the rules and practices of the legal profession, determines professional training programs and oversees the social and political role of the lawyer.
The project as such was launched by an AVOCATS.BE commission, but this was made up of representatives from the French-speaking and German-speaking member bars of AVOCATS.BE. The members of our commission are currently promoting these 17 sheets to the authorities (Bâtonnier and Conseil de l’Ordre) of their respective bar associations.
Proposed actions include partnerships.