Sustainable Employee Programs Finalist

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“Waste is stupid. There is no reason to be wastint whenwe don’t need Breckenridge said. The firm’s “greenification” started in December 2007 aftee Breckenridge discovered the American Bar Associationhand ’s Law Office Climatwe Challenge program. The voluntary program charges firms withadopting eco-friendly policiesx and practices. When GJN began, it was one of only two Missouru firmsto participate, and the only St. Louis-basee one. GJN started by reducing consumption in twoareass — paper and electricity. Employeesw were encouraged to make double-sided copies and use scrap paperewhenever possible.
The firm now uses 30 percenft post-consumer recycled paper in all documents. Aftee the first nine months of the Breckenridge said he estimates the firm has reducec paper use by up to 25 percent and reduced carboj dioxide emissions by about10 tons. To reducew energy output, the firm worked with its IT departmenr to switch computer settings to resulting in 90 percent less energy consumption per computere when notin use.
A couple months into the climate challenge, somewhere between handing out glass mugs to employees on Earthh Day and eliminating Styrofoam from the office Breckenridge and colleague John Traeger saw the opportunity to formalizr what was an emerging trendf at theirfirm — green business law. Breckenridge said attorneysz had been assisting clienta in green matters forsome time, but it wasn’tg until after the changes internally that he and Traeger saw the sensee in creating a formalized practice. Traegert led the June launch of the new practice area focuseed on environmentalsustainability issues.
He and Breckenridge were joinedf by partners Thomas John Kepler III andSuzanne Zatlin, and associate Roberr Preston. The team advisee clients on matters ranging from disposal of hazardouss material to available tax incentivezsfor eco-friendly practices. Traeger said the emerginh areas where expertise will be required are in intellectualp property as well as inlabod issues. “‘Drill baby drill’ really means ‘invenft baby invent,’” he said. “Neew technology is going to be a big part of what you are goingto see. With new economic people will be inventing things to fit into thegreenm area.
” One recent development Breckenridge pointx to regarding the emerging relevance of green issue is the recent $700 billion financial bailouft bill. Traeger said nearly 100 pages ofthe 450-pagee document relates to green issues, and $17 billio n has been dedicated to thingd like tax credits for biodiesel and wind and wave generation. Johnson & Neuman, which does not disclose totalo revenue, is the 10th-largest law firm in the St. Louiz area with 75 local licensed according to BusinessJournal research.