🎶 All You Need is Love … Well, almost!
This morning, my 8-year-old looked at me, clutching two Valentine’s cards—one for her teacher, one for her Dad—and said, “Sorry, Mummy, I didn’t make you one.”
I smiled. “That’s OK because I know you’re going to give me a HUGE hug instead!”
Because, yes—actions speak louder than words. ❤️
Speaking of love, I always think of an incredible study I read while in Dubai last year. It found that the single most powerful motivator to act on climate change was love for the next generation. The sense that acting later was going to be too late for them.
💡 Love for the next generation outperformed messages focused on economic opportunity, fighting injustice, improving health, or even preventing extreme weather. 📖 Read more on this study here.
And speaking of action, I want to share a feel-good story.
💡 Flashback: 9 Years Ago, a Rainy Day, and a Bold Idea
Back then, I was an independent consultant— no Human Level, just me and my ideas. One rainy day near London Bridge, over coffee and cake, I met with another independent consultant who was also a former lawyer. We talked about how law firms—especially the leading ones we were speaking with—wanted to explore what the corporate responsibility to respect human rights meant in practice for them.
We had no employer, and no forged path ahead. So, we decided: Let’s do something! Let’s bring these leading firms together, create a safe space, and nourish the dialogue. All we needed? A commitment from a few firms, a bit of funding, and our own determination.
A few conversations later, the Law Firm Business and Human Rights Peer Learning Process was born. 🚀 And behind it? A small group of driven, motivated individuals inside those law firms—you know who you are. 👏 (Interested in some of our outputs from that work? See here and here)
👥 From Idea to Institution
Fast forward to just before COVID: Some of us regrouped. Let’s take this further. Let’s formalise it. Let’s raise the ambition. We brainstormed governance structures, membership models, and strategies. (Brainstorming with a group of lawyers? Surprisingly fun!)
Then, post-COVID, things picked up momentum again—big time. On November 28, 2022, in Geneva, the Business & Human Rights Lawyers Association (BHRLA) was officially launched!
Last week, at BHRLA’s inaugural conference in London, the sense of community was undeniable. Huge congrats to the founding firms, the BHRLA Board, its co-chairs, and its new Executive Director. 🎉
Legal professionals are in this together. And they’ll go through this together.
📌 Check out our takeaways from the BHRLA here and pic below.
📢 One More Thing!
Keep an eye on Human Level’s LinkedIn page early next week. We’re releasing something I know you’ll love—and benefit from. Stay tuned! 👀
And don’t forget those huge hugs for those you love this Saint Valentine’s Day ❤️
Anna ⭐
