The program features a faculty with recognized national expertise in a wide range of areas, including climate change, international environmental law, pollution control regulation, land use regulation, and ocean and coastal law.
Director
Jessica Owley
Professor of Law
Faculty Director for the Environmental Law Program; Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Sciences (secondary appointment); Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy (affiliated faculty)
Core Program Faculty
Abigail L Fleming
Lecturer in Law
Associate Director, Environmental Justice Clinic; Faculty, Environmental Law Program
Renee Valerie Fajardo
Lecturer
Climate Change and Environmental Law Fellow, Environmental Law Program
Douglas Ruley
Associate Professor of Clinical Education Director, Environmental Justice Clinic
Affiliated Faculty
Adjunct Faculty
Brian Adler teaches Planning and Zoning Joni Coffey teaches Real Property and Government Bill Dwyer teaches Protection of Living Marine Resources Susan Hankin teaches Companion Animals and the Law Michael Karcher teaches Admiralty Kerry McGrath teaches Wetlands Regulation and Permitting
Distinguished Visitors
The Environmental Law Program hosts experts from around the world to foster innovation and creativity within its intellectual community. Our visiting faculty teach short courses on topics such as human rights, climate change, energy law, insurance law, and more. Tracy Bach — Prof. Bach is a repeat visiting scholar at UM, teaching short courses and leading seminars on the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. James Chen — Prof. Chen taught a short course on disaster law, covering issues such as real estate, insurance, business law, and administrative law. Keith Hirokawa — Prof. Hirokawa served as a virtual visiting scholar during COVID. He taught an interdisciplinary class on Natural Resources Law and Policy and led students in the EPA's Environmental Justice Video Challenge. Daniel Magraw — Prof. Magraw is a repeat visiting scholar at UM, teaching short courses on human rights and climate change. He also participated in UM's first distinguished scholar panel on the United Nations' recognition of "the right to a healthy environment." Melissa Powers — Prof. Powers created a new short course on Energy Regulation in an Era of Transition and participated in the UM Law Review's symposium on Environmental Justice.
