Firms have seen a recent uptick in interest from clients wishing to tackle climate change.

Lawyers at Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance and Slaughter and May are among a group of 63 firms and organisations to have worked together to launch new model contracts and laws aiming to help lawyers and businesses fight climate change.

The group of solicitors, barristers and academics, called the Chancery Lane Project, have worked pro bono to launch a two-pronged approach to the issue.

Two publications, the Climate Change Contract Playbook and the Green Paper of Model Laws, will launch this month. The playbook will contain 16 precedent clauses designed to help lawyers and businesses tackle issues such as building in green improvement obligations in supply contracts; terminating contracts and move to more climate-friendly suppliers and facilitating voluntary work on climate solutions by offering climate sabbaticals.

Meanwhile the green paper will set out seven model laws designed to help businesses accelerate the transition to net-zero emissions.

Other lawyers at firms including Hogan Lovells, Pinsent Masons and Norton Rose Fulbright are also taking part.

Caroline May, EMEA head of environment at Norton Rose Fulbright and member of the Chancery Lane Project steering group said in a statement: "The Chancery Lane project is a clarion call for the legal profession. Lawyers working together to frame a response to the most urgent issue of our times. Shaping laws which can drive real change. This is only the beginning of the story. I would encourage all lawyers whatever their specialism to embrace this initiative to see how working together we can make a difference."

The group held its first legal hackathon last November, with 120 lawyers working together to draft the first editions of the playbook and green paper.

Climate change has rocketed up law firms' agendas in recent years, as businesses they work with look for ways to improve their sustainability standing.

Several firms, including Ashurst and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have appointed lawyers to lead their sustainability efforts.

Recent research by Law.com International found the majority of lawyers think law firms should be legally required to improve their environmental sustainability, while two thirds of survey respondents stated they believe the topic is important to their clients.