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Sempra's Javade Chaudhri to speak at USD 2009 Climate Change Lecture Series

SAN DIEGO (October 29, 2009) – The Energy Policy Initiatives Center (EPIC), a nonprofit research center at the University of San Diego (USD) School of Law, today announced that Javade Chaudhri, executive vice president and general counsel for Sempra Energy, will speak at the first presentation of the 2009 Climate Change Lecture Series on Wednesday, November 4, 2009.

"Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of the 21st Century," says Scott Anders, director of EPIC. "As we transition from debating the science to seeking solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, many legal and policy questions arise. The purpose of the lecture series is to begin to explore some of these issues and to further this important dialogue."

Titled, “Navigating Current and Future Greenhouse Gas Regulations: The View from the General Counsel's Office,” Chaudhri’s lecture will discuss the implications to the energy industry of the most significant current and pending legal and policy developments in the effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions. He will also provide thoughts on the future direction of greenhouse gas regulation.

Javade Chaudhri is executive vice president and general counsel for Sempra Energy. Chaudhri, who joined Sempra Energy as executive vice president and general counsel in September 2003, is responsible for all legal affairs and compliance for Sempra Energy. Chaudhri also serves as Sempra’s Chief Environmental Officer. Prior to joining Sempra Energy, he served as senior vice president and general counsel of San Diego-based Gateway Inc. since 2001. Chaudhri also was a senior partner in the Washington, D.C., office of the international law firm of Winston & Strawn, where he co-managed the international and technology practice groups.

He was a partner at the law firm Jones Day Reavis & Pogue. He has written and lectured widely on international infrastructure projects, technology and commercial law. He has been a visiting faculty member for the International Development Law Organization in Rome and the International Law Institute in Washington, D.C. Chaudhri has bachelor's and master's degrees from Yale University and a law degree from Georgetown University.

The lecture will be held at Warren Auditorium inside USD’s Mother Rosalie Hill Hall, the lecture begins at 4:30 p.m. The presentation is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. Reservations can be made online.

MCLE
The University of San Diego School of Law is a State Bar of California approved MCLE provider and certifies that this activity is approved for one hour of general credit.

About the Energy Policy Initiatives Center (EPIC)
EPIC is an academic and research center of the University of San Diego School of Law that studies how energy policy issues affect the San Diego County region and California. EPIC integrates research and analysis, law school study and public education, and provides legal and policy expertise and information about efficient and environmentally responsible solutions to our future energy needs.

About the University of San Diego School of Law
The University of San Diego School of Law is a center of academic excellence focused on preparing its students for legal practice in the new century. One of the most selective law schools in the country, the School of Law’s nationally recognized faculty create a demanding, yet welcoming environment that emphasizes individualized education. USD law school graduates consistently score higher than the state average on the California Bar Exam and go on to practice law throughout the country and abroad, forming an influential network of alumni. The USD School of Law is one of only 81 law schools in the country to have a chapter of the Order of the Coif, the most distinguished rank of American law schools. The school is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Founded in 1954, the law school is part of the University of San Diego, a private, nonprofit, independent, Roman Catholic university chartered in 1949.