Law firm Nixon Peabody has appointed a Chief Sustainability Officer. The firm says it is the first in the legal industry to establish such a position.

Carolyn Kaplan, an attorney in the firm’s energy and environmental practice with two decades of experience with environmental protection and renewable energy projects, will serve in the new role.

Kaplan co-chairs the firm’s Renewable Energy team and has assisted clients on a variety of renewable energy projects, including the siting of land-based and offshore wind facilities. Kaplan will work  with Nixon Peabody’s operations director to reduce the firm’s carbon footprint and implement internal green initiatives. Kaplan will continue her legal practice in energy, environmental, and land use law.

“Although many law firms have separate practices that occasionally serve sustainable clients’ needs, at Nixon Peabody, we combine our legal experience, thought leadership, and good citizenship to serve our clients as very few other law firms can,” said Harry P. Trueheart III, chairman and managing partner of Nixon Peabody. “With Carolyn serving as chief sustainability officer, we intend to take our firmwide green initiative to the next level.”