Norton Rose and DLA Piper's Australian arms have helped to found a new alliance of law firms which will aim to reduce the legal profession's carbon footprint in the country.

The Australian Legal Sector Alliance (AusLSA), which is modelled on the UK's Legal Sector Alliance (LSA), aims to promote environmentally friendly sustainable practices and encourage corporate social responsibility.

The UK LSA was founded in 2007 and now has a membership of around 200 legal firms.

The founding members of AusLSA include DLA Phillips Fox, Norton Rose Australia, Mallesons Stephen Jaques, Clayton Utz, Henry Davis York, Maddocks and Swaab Attorneys.

The firms are currently working on what tools and resources they will implement including recycling, sustainable transport policies and videoconferencing instead of travel, before the alliance is opened up to all firms in 2011.

Brendan Bateman, and environmental, planning and administrative partner at Clayton Utz, said: "Clayton Utz joined AusLSA with the aim of working with other firms to develop a cohesive, strategic best practice approach to sustainability.

"Applying these practices will enable Clayton Utz to reach targets and minimise the firm's overall footprint, while at the same time contributing to an industry-wide sustainability improvement process."

Henry Davis York COO Kelvin O'Connor said: "Following on from the UK model, we see AusLSA as a perfect vehicle to encourage our peers and external stakeholders to adopt the same principles and help develop industry benchmarks that others can adopt."

In 2008 the UK LSA launched a initiative to measure law firms' carbon footprint, with 18 firms agreeing to disclose their results, including Allen & Overy, Linklaters, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Herbert Smith, and SJ Berwin.