Elisabeth Haub School of Law News

The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University once again co-hosted the New Directions in Environmental Law (NDEL) Conference, held February 7, 2026, at Yale Law School. This year’s conference, themed “Collective Reimagining: Channeling Conviction into Change,” brought together scholars, practitioners, and students to explore emerging challenges and innovative approaches in environmental law.

The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University proudly hosted the 38th Annual Jeffrey G. Miller National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition (NELMCC), one of the nation’s largest and most prestigious interschool moot court competitions devoted to environmental law.

The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University is proud to announce that a distinguished group of environmental law scholars will join the Law School as Haub Visiting Scholars.

Pace’s environmental leadership is recognized nationally as  Haub Law Professor Achinthi Vithanage is named to the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Environmental Lawyers, honoring top legal minds advancing environmental and climate justice, The Green 500 reports.

The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University is proud to announce that Achinthi Vithanage, Executive Director of the Environmental Law Program and Professor of Law for Designated Service in Environmental Law at Pace Haub Law, was named to the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Environmental Lawyers: The Green 500. Professor Vithanage has been recognized on this list five times since the publication of the inaugural Lawdragon 500 Leading Environmental & Energy Lawyers list in 2021.

Elisabeth Haub School of Law deeply mourns the death of Kristina Maria Gjerde, who passed away from pancreatic cancer on December 26, 2025.

Kristina was a 2024 Laureate of the Elisabeth Haub Award for Environmental Law and Diplomacy, presented jointly to her and Singapore Ambassador Rena Lee in recognition of their leadership in advancing the United Nations Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ)—a landmark achievement in the protection of marine biodiversity on the high seas.

Got an idea that could help the planet? Turn it into something big with Project Planet 2025–2026. You could win $6,000 and help make the world cleaner, safer, and more sustainable. Five winners will be chosen, so start brainstorming and get your entry in by December 31.

Harrison Bench ’27 has always been a self-starter and highly motivated to make a lasting impact. He describes his professional career, thus far, as being marked by a robust passion for identifying and promoting policy solutions to the environmental challenges we face today. It was during high school that Harrison co-founded Students for Climate Action, an environmental non-profit organization. “The goal of Students for Climate Action is to connect youth with their elected officials to lobby for common-sense climate and renewable energy policy.”

The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University proudly conferred the 2025 Elisabeth Haub Award for Environmental Law and Diplomacy on Professor John H. Knox and Dr. David R. Boyd for their groundbreaking leadership as successive United Nations Special Rapporteurs on the human right to a healthy environment. The award was presented on October 23, 2025 at Pace University in New York City before an audience of environmental and human rights advocates and supporters joining in person and virtually from around the world.

The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University is proud to announce the appointment of Professor Margot J. Pollans as the Gilbert and Sarah Kerlin Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law.