Barry University School of Law
6441 East Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL 32807
USA
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., one of the nation’s leading defenders of the environment, will be Barry University School of Law’s Keynote Speaker for the 2015 Environmental & Earth Law Summit, “Climate Disruption: Choosing Our Environmental Destiny,” to be held April 9 on the school’s Orlando campus.
Kennedy’s reputation as a leading voice on environmental issues is rooted in several successful legal actions throughout his career. Kennedy was named one of Time magazine’s “Heroes for the Planet” for his success in helping Riverkeeper, a clean-water watchdog organization based in New York, fight to restore the Hudson River. The group’s achievement helped spawn nearly 200 Keeper organizations across the globe. In 2009, he was named one of Rolling Stone’s “100 Agents of Change.”
Kennedy is a professor of environmental law at Pace University School of Law and serves as co-director of the school’s Environmental Litigation Clinic. He is President of Waterkeeper Alliance, senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, chief prosecuting attorney for Riverkeeper and co-host of the radio show “Ring of Fire.” He is a partner on the CleanTech investment team of Silicon Valley’s VantagePoint Capital Ventures, the environmental advisor to Napo Pharmaceuticals, and serves on numerous boards. Earlier in his career, he served as assistant district attorney in New York City.
Kennedy’s address at Barry Law, “Our Environmental Destiny,” will conclude a daylong event that will feature panel discussions led by national, state and local experts in key environmental fields.
Barry Law Dean Leticia M. Diaz says Kennedy’s credentials as an environmental advocate make his the perfect voice to distill the day’s discussion into tangible, actionable solutions.
“Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has risen to the forefront on environmental issues because he is driven by results, not just words,” Diaz says. “The passion he brings to these important issues is truly inspiring, and I am confident that he will find himself at home alongside our law school’s dedicated environmental advocates.”
Kennedy is a graduate of Harvard University. He studied at the London School of Economics and earned his law degree from the University of Virginia Law School. Following graduation, he attended Pace University School of Law, where he earned a master’s degree in environmental law.
About the summit
Global climate disruption has been called the most important issue of our time. Barry University School of Law’s 2015 Environmental & Earth Law Summit, “Climate Disruption: Choosing Our Environmental Destiny,” will explore international, national, and local impacts of climate disruption, with distinguished panelists offering innovative approaches to address the challenges ahead.
