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Research and Scholarship

Representing Climate Wreckers

Posted
June 9, 2025

In her article, Representing Climate Wreckers, published in the NYU Environmental Law Journal (2025), Pace | Haub Environmental Law Professor Camila Bustos examines the ethical responsibilities of attorneys representing fossil fuel companies—termed "climate wreckers"—and argues for a reevaluation of professional conduct standards in light of the climate crisis. She contends that the legal profession must adapt to the challenges posed by climate change, suggesting that lawyers should reconsider representing clients whose activities significantly contribute to environmental degradation.

“Tackling climate change demands a regime shift where lawyers who hinder the transition away from fossil fuels no longer enjoy the social license to do so,” she writes. “These accountability efforts build on “moral remainders” to create reluctance to certain types of representation and “ensure that lawyers stay within permissible limitations” in the course of their work.”

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