Lawyers for Climate Justice (“L4CJ”) is a multi-disciplinary group of lawyers from across Canada that is focused on advancing climate justice within the legal profession in Canada. 

L4CJ started when a group of lawyers in Victoria, BC coalesced under the banner “Lawyers for Climate Justice” to participate in the Global Strike for the Climate on Sept 27, 2019.  We recognized that lawyers must demand, and be seen to demand, our governments to take real and immediate action on climate change. Since that event, L4CJ has grown to what it is today.  

“Climate justice” refers to responding to climate change in consideration of the ethical implications and wider justice concerns of climate impacts and climate action, for example, ensuring that mitigation and adaptation efforts respect human rights.  We believe that advancing climate justice is a natural extension of the oath that we have sworn as lawyers to uphold the rule of law and the rights and freedoms of all persons. The impacts of climate change threaten to undermine the rule of law, through destabilization of democratic governments and global institutions, and erode the rights and freedoms of all persons, and especially those who are disproportionately impacted. Every practise area, whether it be immigration, insurance, municipal or Aboriginal law, is impacted. Visit our “Resources” page to learn more about the ways in which climate change threatens human rights and our institutions. 

As such, the legal profession – as individuals, law firms, associations, and regulatory bodies - has an ethical obligation to consider what role we should play in responding to the climate crisis.  L4CJ aims to advance this deliberation in Canada through public advocacy, advocacy within the legal profession, and providing legal support to the climate movement. Visit our “Projects” page to learn more about our current initiatives, and our “Contact” page to learn how you can become involved with our work.