Minneapolis Law Firm Greene Espel P. L. L P. Goes Green with Help of Eco-expert, Author and EarthSmart Consumer Founder Kim Carlson

Greene Espel, a Minneapolis-based law firm providing litigation, dispute resolution, and counseling services, has pledged to go "green," and has enlisted the help of eco-expert, author and EarthSmart Consumer founder Kim Carlson to lead the initiative.

After implementing a variety of environmentally-friendly practices over the years, the firm's administrator, Laura Broomell, brought Carlson on board to take the greening process to the next level - a comprehensive program they've dubbed Espel-cially Greene. Carlson's first steps were developing a green committee, conducting an eco-audit or Green Gap Report and devising a plan for a firm-wide eco program.

As part of this comprehensive initiative, Greene Espel has pledged to eliminate the use of paper by 80%, quite a feat in such a paper-heavy industry. Erin Sindberg Porter, an attorney on the Greene Espel's green committee stated, "challenging ourselves to dramatically reduce our paper use reflects our value and our unique approach to management; just as we are committed to non-hierarchical governance, we are committed to using our natural resources more consciously, efficiently, and equitably. We are changing policies, teaching each other best practices, generating awareness and enthusiasm, and continuing to implement the necessary technology to realize our goals."

The firm has already instituted new policies, abandoned antiquated routines and upgraded technology - and this is just the beginning. Together, Greene Espel and Carlson will execute an aggressive greening plan with the goal of completion by 2010. "Greene Espel is on its way to becoming a national model for how a law firm or any service business can go green," says Carlson. "It can be as simple as cutting back on whichever resource is most used in the organization - for law firms it is paper. Initiatives like this are a win/win; good for employee morale, the planet and the bottom line - and we can all use a little bit of whatever boost we can get these days!"

Dual computer monitors are now used at all workstations so that the attorneys can review documents and store relevant data simultaneously. Paperless trial presentation program and litigation document management programs are also being employed. An email document management system is used for the digital storage and management of emails and faxes are routed digitally; a "no print policy" for both emails and faxes has been implemented. Greene Espel's IT Manager is recycling all old simplex printers and replacing them with duplex models. All Legal Administrative Assistants have scanners at their workstations to systematically scan incoming documents. The firm is also in the midst of a server virtualization project that will have a 6-to-1 reduction in server count.

In the upcoming months, the firm will be tackling a number of projects, including scanning all old documents to drastically reduce the number of file cabinets and boxes in storage, developing a document management system for accounting so that all incoming payables are routed electronically and executing a program that will ensure that invoices are sent and reviewed online.

"We've been making positive changes for a long time, because it's the right thing to do. With Kim's help, we're taking it to the next level," adds Broomell. Espel-cially Greene is certainly a project to watch.

Greene Espel and Kim Carlson would be happy to share the ins and outs of the greening process with you - for additional information, please contact Courtney O'Neill of AAM Management at 212.661.1336. February 9, 2009