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Greening the Corporation: Advising Companies on Compliance with Corporate Sustainability Requirements

April 2010
EnvironmentGeneral

Abstract

For a growing number of businesses, implementing smart environmental policy aids legal compliance and promotes competitiveness. Gone are the days when the only companies concerned about environmental laws were heavy manufacturers. Recent developments in both the U.S. government and private corporate sectors have ushered in a new era of corporate sustainability, in which complying with environmental regulations is moving from a recommendation to a mandate for a wide range of businesses. Just as organizations must develop and enforce policies in the areas of governance, employment, and safety, many companies and public agencies are now required to track and report sustainability measurements to ensure legal compliance. Moreover, many forward-thinking companies are already implementing environmental policies to stay competitive, even though it is not yet a legal requirement. In-house counsel should be aware of the new corporate sustainability requirements and recommendations to advise organizations how to develop policies, avoid liability and succeed in the new green economy. With the upcoming implementation of the Legal Services Act, in-house counsels based in the UK have more options than ever to meet their legal needs. One of the most compelling options is leveraging outside and offshore vendors for legal and legal support services. A number of other innovative alternative delivery models are also becoming increasingly popular.

Author

Dana Newman
Partner, The General Counsel, USA

Dana Newman is a Partner with The General Counsel, LLC. She is a corporate/business attorney with substantial in-house legal experience at companies involved in entertainment and communications technologies. She focuses on business and legal advising, contracts, intellectual property and employment law. Prior to joining The General Counsel, Dana worked as General Counsel and Secretary for Moviola, an entertainment technology industry leader with offices in Los Angeles and New York. She was a key management team member for Moviola and its affiliates (Paskal Lighting and Magnasync Corporation), where she advised senior management on all aspects of business and legal affairs, including contracts, human resources, insurance, intellectual property, corporate governance, and litigation management. Dana holds a BA from the University of California at Berkeley, and a JD from the University of San Francisco School of Law.

Company

The General Counsel

The General Counsel provides cost-effective strategic business and legal in-house counsel services on a full or part-time basis to emerging growth to midsize companies in a variety of industries. Our high value, experienced general counsel work with directly with organizations and contribute to the success of the management team by preventing any legal surprises, helping keep the organization running smoothly, and accelerating its growth.

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