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Michael Mayer

Adjunct Professor

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Climate Change

EDUCATION

  • J.D., With Honors, University of Texas School of Law, May 1996
  • B.A., Southern Methodist University, December 1992

Biography

Michael Mayer has over a decade of experience as an environmental law practitioner, primarily with the public interest law firm Earthjustice. While there, he worked with both the Northwest and Alaska regional offices. His work in the Northwest focused on protecting struggling salmon runs, and his time with the Alaska office was devoted entirely to opposing offshore drilling in the Arctic Ocean. Michael also spent a number of years with Washington Environmental Council, researching land use issues and directing a campaign to reform the state's antiquated water laws. He has also been a Fellow with the Sightline Institute, periodically writing about legal issues related to climate change.

Publications

CLEs:

The Public Trust Doctrine, CELP's 8th Annual Winter CLE (Dec. 6, 2018),
https://www.celp.org/celp-8th-annual-winter-cle/

Climate Change in the Pacific Northwest, On the Edge of the World-Navigating Environmental and Legal Challenges on the Washington Coast (Sept. 28, 2018).

Publications:

When Is Water Not Wet? The Evolution of Water Right Mitigation in Washington State, with Rachael Paschal-Osborn (2020) https://digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/sjteil/vol10/iss1/7/

Activity

Media Mentions:

ABA Journal, Lawyers are unleashing a flurry of lawsuits to step up the fight against climate change, (Nov. 1, 2019), http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/lawyers-are-unleashing-a-flurry-of-lawsuits-to-step-up-the-fight-against-climate-change

Sierra Magazine, Chief Justice Roberts Tosses Landmark Climate Lawsuit Into Limbo (Oct. 25, 2018), https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/chief-justice-roberts-tosses-landmark-climate-lawsuit-limbo