“You must live life with the full knowledge that your actions will remain. We are creatures of consequence.” Zadie Smith

This quote hit me hard the first time I read it. It reminds me of what’s so often missing in how we build businesses, draft contracts, or negotiate deals — an awareness that what we do has ripples. The legacy of our choices lasts, whether or not we intend it.

In law — and especially in corporate, finance and commercial law — we’re trained to extract value. To optimize. To limit liability. But what if we started with a different frame: what if everything we build had to last – not just for shareholders, lenders etc. but for communities, the environment, future generations.

That’s where regenerative thinking comes in. Unlike extractive models that deplete resources (human, natural, financial), regeneration is about reciprocity, restoration, and circularity. It’s long-term by design.

As a solicitor working with purpose-driven businesses, I’m increasingly seeing clients who don’t just want to “comply” — they want their legal frameworks to reflect their values. They ask:

• Can our IP licenses promote sharing and innovation, not hoarding?
• Can our supply contracts reward ethical sourcing, less extraction and living wages?
• Can our governance documents embed stewardship over short-termism?

The answer is yes — and it’s also necessary.

We are creatures of consequence. Every clause, every partnership, every acquisition leaves a trace. For example, the recent ClientEarth v Shell (2023) [EWHC 1137 (Ch)] case highlighted how even directors’ duties are being challenged to evolve in light of environmental impacts and long-term risk. It didn’t succeed (this time), but it’s a clear signal that the tide is turning.

In our work at REGEN LAW, we’re exploring legal design that regenerates — contracts that are values-aligned, IP frameworks that decentralise ownership, and corporate structures that prioritise accountability to people and planet. This isn’t about being “nice”; it’s about being future-fit.

So next time you draft, negotiate, or advise — ask yourself:
What consequence will this create? What trace does it leave?

It’s time to practise law as if the future depends on it. Because it does.