News Center: News Releases

USD School of Law Presents 3rd Annual Climate & Energy Law Symposium

San Diego (April 6, 2011) – The University of San Diego (USD) School of Law hosts the Third Annual Climate and Energy Law Symposium on Friday, April 15, 2011 beginning at 9:00 a.m. Co-sponsored by USD's Energy Policy Initiatives Center (EPIC) and the San Diego Journal of Climate & Energy Law (JCEL), the conference will be held at the School of Leadership and Education Sciences (Mother Rosalie Hill Hall) on the campus of USD.

This year’s symposium theme is "Advancing a Clean Energy Future." The symposium will examine emerging law and policy approaches to encourage clean energy. Clean energy refers to the diverse set of technologies that can help meet our needs for energy while limiting its impact on the environment. Shifting to cleaner energy is an essential task for mitigating climate change. The symposium will bring together legal and policy experts from across the country to address a variety of key issues including the coordination of state and federal roles in the clean energy sector; the design of policies and markets for renewable energy and energy efficiency; and the balance between energy and environmental protection.

The morning keynote address will be given by Jon Wellinghoff, Chairman of the United States Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); and the afternoon keynote address will be given by Karen Douglas, Commissioner and former Chairman of the California Energy Commission (CEC).

For a detailed schedule and listing of panels and participants, please visit the symposium's website.

Symposium Fees and Registration

General admission is $125; USD School of Law alumni, academic, government, and non-profit employees are $75; students and USD faculty and staff are $10. Registration is available online only.

MCLE Credit Information

The University of San Diego School of Law is a State Board of California-approved MCLE provider, and certifies that this symposium is approved for MCLE credit in the amount of 7.25 hours of general credit. No MCLE credits are available for the Pre-Symposium Workshop.

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 San Diego Journal of Climate & Energy Law

The San Diego Journal of Climate & Energy Law is the first student-run legal journal covering climate change and energy issues in the nation. It seeks to serve 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 effects of climate change on endangered species law. The annual publication is based on articles submitted for the annual symposium.

For more information about the San Diego Journal of Climate & Energy Law, please contact Assistant Director of Publications Brigid Bennett at (619) 260-4531 or email jcel@sandiego.edu.

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.