Assunção Cristas has authored an opinion article published in the Portuguese Bar Association Bulletin, entitled “Sustainability and the Legal Profession: A Relationship for the Future”, in which she explores the growing impact of sustainability on legal practice and the role lawyers play in supporting businesses and organisations as they navigate the regulatory and economic challenges of the sustainability transition.
In the article, the lawyer highlights the consolidation of an increasingly complex and cross-cutting legislative framework, noting that sustainability has evolved beyond a mere compliance issue to become a strategic component of legal counsel. According to Assunção Cristas, it is becoming increasingly important to gain an in-depth understanding of clients’ businesses and to help identify development opportunities in areas such as decarbonisation, the circular economy and ecosystem protection.
The author also examines recent developments in European policymaking in this field, arguing that, despite the adjustments introduced through initiatives such as the European Omnibus I legislative package, sustainability continues to establish itself as a structural issue for businesses and markets.
In her analysis, Assunção Cristas acknowledges that sustainability may currently be competing for public attention with topics such as artificial intelligence and defence, while remaining convinced of its long-term relevance: “the sustainability agenda may have been somewhat overshadowed by emerging topics such as artificial intelligence and defence, but it is not going away.”
