In the spirit of Earth Day, one New Jersey lawyer is setting out to make a global impact—while possibly breaking a world record. Matthew Karmel, a passionate environmental advocate and head of Offit Kurman’s Environmental and Sustainability Practice, is leading the charge to make the legal profession a driving force in the fight against climate change. His mission? To mobilize lawyers from around the world to offer pro bono support for climate-friendly causes, nonprofits, and startups.
This spring, Karmel and his colleagues at Green Pro Bono, a Massachusetts nonprofit, are gearing up for the second annual Climate Pro Bono Bootcamp. The virtual event, scheduled for April 22-23, 2025, is a free Continuing Legal Education (CLE) conference designed to equip lawyers with the skills needed to support environmental causes through pro bono work. The bootcamp, which will run from noon to 5 p.m. each day, will bring together legal professionals from around the globe to tackle the climate crisis in real, actionable ways.
The conference promises to be a landmark event, both in terms of its mission and its ambition. Karmel, who is determined to set a new Guinness World Record, is aiming for 70,000 lawyers to join the virtual summit. This would smash the current record for the largest virtual law conference, set by the Brazilian Bar Association in 2020 with 66,732 attendees.
The stakes are high, but Karmel believes it’s a goal within reach. “We need just 5% of U.S. lawyers to show up to beat the record,” he says. “And we’re encouraging law students, too—over 116,000 law students in the U.S. could join, as well as lawyers from around the world. It’s not just for lawyers—it’s for anyone passionate about fighting for a greener future.”
The event will feature expert speakers from top law firms, renowned environmental organizations, and prestigious law schools, including U.S. Senator Cory Booker, a long-time advocate for environmental justice, and Maya van Rossum, founder of the Green Amendments movement. With these heavy hitters on the agenda, the bootcamp is poised to provide invaluable insights into how the legal community can engage in climate action, both locally and globally.
For Karmel, this effort is deeply personal. As an Ocean County native, he has always been drawn to environmental law, and over the years, he’s worked on numerous climate-related pro bono cases. His journey started when he volunteered legal services for a community garden nonprofit in New Jersey, helping them challenge outdated state regulations on composting. “I realized how impactful pro bono work could be, and it became clear to me that we could be doing a lot more to address the climate crisis,” Karmel reflects.
Now, as the principal and chair of Offit Kurman’s Environmental and Sustainability Law Group, Karmel has made it his mission to encourage more lawyers to get involved in climate-focused pro bono work. The 2024 Climate Pro Bono Bootcamp attracted over 700 participants, and Karmel and his team are already seeing the impact of this educational initiative. With an expanded network of legal professionals, Green Pro Bono was able to match even more climate-related projects in 2024, providing invaluable support to nonprofits and businesses working on critical environmental issues.
This year’s bootcamp will focus on two main areas: litigation advocacy and corporate transactions. On Day 1, attendees will dive into topics like climate litigation, government attacks on climate policy, and climate-focused legal strategies. Day 2 will address the role of lawyers in embedding sustainability into contracts, helping small businesses achieve climate goals, and boosting nonprofit agendas through strategic collaborations.
“We want to teach lawyers that it’s possible for everyone to work on climate through pro bono,” Karmel says. “You don’t need to be a climate expert to get involved. You just need the right skills—and we’ll show you how to apply them in the climate context.”
Karmel’s leadership extends beyond this event. He is also the founder of The Planetary Lawyer Project, a bi-weekly newsletter that provides resources and insights for climate-conscious lawyers. His goal is to inspire more legal professionals to consider pro bono work in support of environmental causes. Through his advocacy, Karmel has helped raise awareness of organizations like Green Pro Bono, which has matched over $3.3 million in legal services with more than 200 nonprofits and startups focused on environmental justice, land conservation, renewable energy, and more.
While the federal government’s stance on climate change has been a point of contention in recent years, Karmel remains optimistic. “There are so many ways to make a difference,” he says. “We don’t need to wait for federal action. We can make real change by working directly with communities and businesses—at the local level, in ways that are impactful and sustainable.”
For Karmel, the upcoming Climate Pro Bono Bootcamp is not just an opportunity to set a world record; it’s about galvanizing the legal community to take action. “This isn’t just about climate change—it’s about creating a movement,” he explains. “We want to show lawyers that they have the power to make a difference, and that every little bit of pro bono work can add up to something huge.”
As the bootcamp approaches, Karmel is looking forward to what the event will accomplish. “We’ve already seen how much impact pro bono work can have. But with 70,000 lawyers involved, think about the difference we could make. We’re not just breaking records—we’re breaking new ground in the fight for our planet.”
So, if you’re a lawyer, law student, or simply someone passionate about the environment, mark your calendar for April 22-23, 2025. The Climate Pro Bono Bootcamp could be your chance to contribute to a global cause—and perhaps be part of a world record-breaking event in the process.
Register now for the 2025 Climate Pro Bono Bootcamp and be a part of this groundbreaking initiative.
