Pace Haub Law Co-Hosts Prestigious New Directions in Environmental Law Conference at Yale

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.

Founded in 2011, students have organized NDEL to examine changes in and novel approaches to environmental law, highlight innovative scholarship, interdisciplinary perspectives, and collaboration across institutions. Since its inception, Pace Haub Law has played an active role in the event. In 2021, the Law School became an official co-host of the event, with a Pace Haub Law student serving as a conference co-chair each year since. As home to the #1 ranked environmental law program, Haub Law remains committed to driving the future of environmental law and policy, and its continued role in co-hosting NDEL highlights its position as a leader in environmental legal education.

This year’s conference featured strong engagement from the Pace Haub Law community. Professor Josh Galperin and Professor Camila Bustos served as faculty advisors for the event, supporting students in organizing and coordinating the conference. Professor Galperin also delivered the conference’s closing remarks, while Professor Bustos participated in two panels.

“This conference is a remarkable example of what students can accomplish when they bring together creativity, scholarship, and collaboration,” said Professor Josh Galperin. “NDEL creates space for emerging scholars and practitioners to engage deeply with the environmental challenges of our time while building a community dedicated to innovative solutions.”

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Several Pace Haub Law faculty members contributed their expertise as panelists, including Professor Smita Narula and Professor Achinthi Vithanage. The conference also welcomed Professor Doug Kysar, who will visit Pace Haub Law as a Haub Visiting Scholar this spring, and James Van Nostrand, a Pace Haub Law LLM alumnus and former Executive Director of the Pace Energy and Climate Center, as presenters. Rachel Rothschild, who received the 2025–2026 Pace Haub Environmental Law Distinguished Junior Scholar Award, delivered the keynote address.

Pace Haub Law students played a central role in organizing and shaping the conference. Ryan York and Julie Frey served as co-chairs of the 2026 NDEL Conference, helping to coordinate the event and manage the Law School delegation. Students also contributed to the conference program by developing and moderating panels. Pace Haub Law student Ashley Gentile conceived and moderated a panel, while Eli Calhoun conceived and moderated another, with LLM student Joe Mayson also conceiving two panels featured at the conference. Several students involved in the NDEL conference are either currently enrolled in or have been accepted to the joint degree program between the Elisabeth Haub School of Law and the Yale School of the Environment, which enables participants to earn a JD from Pace Haub Law and a master’s degree from Yale.

“Helping organize NDEL was an incredible opportunity to work with students and scholars from across the country who are passionate about environmental law,” said Pace Haub Law student Ryan York. “Seeing the ideas generated in the panels, research presentations, and discussions throughout the day made clear how important it is for the next generation of environmental lawyers to collaborate and think creatively about solutions.”

Students further showcased their research through the conference’s poster session. Poster presenters included students Ayman Irfan, Jamal Fofanah, Krissadele Michael, Colin Schmitt, and Nicholas Caiciedo. Two of the student presenters, Ayman Irfan and Colin Schmitt, notably both submitted papers based on their poster research to law review journals, and both papers were accepted for publication.

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In total, 35 Pace students attended this year’s conference, serving as student leaders, NDEL coordinators, student reports, presenting research, developing and moderating panels, and contributing as general conference volunteers. This impressive amount of student involvement reflects the breadth of student involvement from the Pace Haub Law community. Through active participation in organizing panels, presenting scholarship, and contributing to conference reporting, Pace Haub Law students and faculty continue to play a significant role in advancing dialogue on the future of environmental law through the New Directions in Environmental Law Conference.