Question 1

What is the Law Firm Climate Change Scorecard and who makes it?

Accepted Answer

The Scorecard is an annual report produced by LSCA student leaders that ranks the Vault 100 law firms according to how much fossil fuel work they engaged in over a five-year period, across three categories: transactions, litigation, and lobbying. The 2026 edition is the seventh in the series and was produced by law students in Amsterdam and across the US and UK.

Question 2

Is this only for Berkeley law students, or is it a national organization?

Accepted Answer

LSCA is a national and international organization with student leadership committees in both the US and the UK, plus a campus representative program at universities around the world. The Berkeley chapter is part of this broader network.

Question 3

What does a National Student Committee member actually do day-to-day?

Accepted Answer

Each committee member serves as the point person for a specific component of LSCA's work, such as research, campaigns, or publications. The role involves co-creating activities and student organizing without close supervision or a fixed template. Members are expected to take initiative and hold themselves accountable to the organization's goals.

Question 4

Does LSCA help students who want climate-positive legal careers but may end up at conventional firms?

Accepted Answer

Yes. LSCA provides job search resources including interview questions to ask firms about their climate commitments, a growing Green List of firms that do clean energy work without fossil fuel representation, and information on the Solicitors Qualifying Exam for UK-bound students. The student pledge also explicitly acknowledges that financial circumstances may not always permit refusing fossil fuel firm work.

Question 5

Can law students publish or compete through LSCA?

Accepted Answer

Yes. LSCA co-hosts an annual writing competition with the Center for Climate Integrity, awarding a $2,000 first-place prize for original academic papers on corporate accountability and climate law. LSCA may also publish shortened versions of non-winning submissions on its blog, Beyond the Score.

Law Students for Climate Accountability at Berkeley