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USD School of Law Publishes First Student-Run Climate & Energy Journal

SAN DIEGO (December 28, 2009) – The University of San Diego School of Law today released the first issue of the San Diego Journal of Climate & Energy Law (JCEL). The nation’s first student-run climate and energy law journal, the academic publication includes articles from its inaugural Climate & Energy Law Symposium, held February 20, 2009. The event titled, “Federal Preemption or State Prerogative: California in the Face of National Climate Policy,” was co-hosted by the Energy Policy Initiatives Center and presented with financial support from Sempra Energy. Chairman of the California Air Resources Board and recent participant in the United Nations Summit on Climate Change in Copenhagen, Mary D. Nichols, was the keynote speaker for the event.

JCEL serves as a foundation for continued dialogue and development of the rapidly emerging legal issues related to climate change and energy. The journal delves into topics such as insurance claims related to climate change, law and economics associated with cap-and-trade greenhouse gas markets, new energy policy of the carbon-constrained world, legal implications of trans-border air and water pollution and the effects of climate change on endangered species law.

In addition to fostering debate on these important topics, JCEL is also dedicated to sustainable practices in its day-to-day operations. The journal employs fully electronic cite checking, editing and archiving systems, saving thousands of pages of paper. Its first issue is printed on recycled paper with soy ink to further minimize its impact on the environment.

"Climate and energy law issues are not only a focal point of public debate, but also of central interest to many of our students," said USD School of Law Dean Kevin Cole. "The students' interest and our ability to partner with campus organizations put us in a good position to deepen understanding of these issues."

The journal has partnered with USD's Energy Policy Initiatives Center and USD’s Environmental Law Society to bring prominent speakers to campus and is assisted by a nationally prominent advisory board comprised of climate and energy experts from government, academia and business.

“The journal’s advisory board is a terrific set of legal experts with experience in all aspects of environmental law practice,” said Professor Lesley McAllister, faculty advisor to JCEL.  “I am delighted that they are supporting our students and the law school in this initiative.”

Members of the twelve-person advisory board include Professor Richard J. Lazarus of the Georgetown Law Center, Western Director of the National Resources Defense Council Felicia Marcus and San Diego-area attorney Stanley Legro. Visit the Web site for a complete list of JCEL advisory board members.

The second annual Climate & Energy Law Symposium will take place on April 9, 2010. Log on to the Web site for complete event information. For more information about and subscriptions to the San Diego Journal of Climate and Energy Law, please contact the law school communications office at (619) 260-4531 or on the JCEL Web page.

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 80 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. Please visit the Web site at www.law.sandiego.edu for more information.

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