Generating opportunities for the College of Law to deepen and broaden its engagement with environmental issues in Iowa and beyond.

Upcoming HELI Events

 The Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative events are here. You can find more information about each event on the "Events and Programming" page.

Upcoming HELI Events

The "Iowa Effect": Insurance and Climate Change with New York Times Reporter Christopher Flavelle promotional image

The "Iowa Effect": Insurance and Climate Change with New York Times Reporter Christopher Flavelle

Friday, February 14, 2025 12:45pm to 1:45pm
Boyd Law Building
Join the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative at the University of Iowa College of Law for a discussion with New York Times climate reporter Christopher Flavelle and Martin Grace, Professor of Finance at the Tippie College of Business about insurance markets in a changing climate. Christopher Flavelle has been writing about the impacts of climate change on insurance markets for years. In May of 2024, Christopher reported on a recent trend in insurance coverage, calling it the “Iowa effect,”...
Climate Change Basics promotional image

Climate Change Basics

Tuesday, February 18, 2025 12:45pm to 2:00pm
Boyd Law Building
Iowa Law students are invited to join Professor Shannon Roesler to discuss the basics of human-caused climate change. We will cover the basics of the scientific consensus around the causes and impacts of climate change. If time permits, we will also discuss some of the challenges we face in mitigating and adapting to climate change. Registration in advance is required: https://uiowa.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_77f28qbyVAu3y5M
"Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America's Food Industry" with Austin Frerick  promotional image

"Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America's Food Industry" with Austin Frerick

Wednesday, February 26, 2025 12:45pm to 1:45pm
Boyd Law Building
Join agricultural and antitrust policy expert Austin Frerick, who will be at lowa Law to discuss his new book Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America's Food Industry. Barons is the story of seven corporate titans in the food industry and their rise to power, with a lens on Iowa and the Midwest. Barons has received universal acclaim, including a coveted starred review from both Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews, and has been named one of the “Best Books of 2024” by the latter. The...
Workers on the Frontlines of a Hotter Planet: 2025 Iowa Labor and Climate Conference promotional image

Workers on the Frontlines of a Hotter Planet: 2025 Iowa Labor and Climate Conference

Saturday, April 12, 2025 9:00am to 3:00pm
Iowa Memorial Union (IMU)
The UI Labor Center and the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative will host the 2025 Labor and Climate Conference on Saturday, April 12 at the Iowa Memorial Union, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. The topics of focus for this event are rising heat, public health, and worker safety. National speakers will be featured, as well as breakout sessions on topics including: How rising heat impacts Iowans health and safety; Local and state laws and national policy initiatives to mitigate the effect of heat...
The Making of Environmental Law in the United States with Richard J. Lazarus promotional image

The Making of Environmental Law in the United States with Richard J. Lazarus

Thursday, April 17, 2025 12:45pm to 1:45pm
Boyd Law Building
Join the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative and the College of Law in welcoming Richard J. Lazarus, Charles Stebbins Fairchild Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, for a talk about The Making of U.S. Environmental Law - with a particular emphasis on the Midwest. More about the discussion: Richard J. Lazarus offers a new interpretation of the past three decades of this area of the law, examining the legal, political, cultural, and scientific factors that have shaped — and sometimes...
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General Events and Programming

roesler

Hubbell Lecture Series

Leading voices from academia, government, environmental groups, and industry. Some lecturers are co-sponsored by other schools and programs at the University of Iowa. All lectures are open to the public. Admission is free.

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Careers in Environmental Law Speaker Series

Exploring the myriad ways that environmental lawyers contribute to environmental protection, natural resource conservation, and clean energy efforts.

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Panel Discussions and Special Events

Exploring current issues in environmental law, with a particular emphasis on issues affecting the state of Iowa.

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Explore Past HELI Events

Environmental Law CLE

Thursday, November 16, 2023 (all day)
Antarctica: Bellwether of the Planet promotional image

Antarctica: Bellwether of the Planet

Wednesday, November 8, 2023 12:45pm to 1:45pm
Boyd Law Building
Please join the Environmental Law Society as we hear from visiting Professor Robert Andersen about the law governing Antarctica, the Continent's role in understanding environmental science and climate change, and his experiences working there. Lunch will be provided!

Environmental Law Internships Student Panel

Friday, October 27, 2023 12:30pm to 1:30pm
Boyd Law Building
*DATE CHANGE - This panel was originally scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 26. As of 10/20, it has been changed to Fri, Oct. 27 (same room).  The Environmental Law Society is excited to host a student panel on environmental summer internships. A list of environmental legal internships will be provided and students will discuss their experiences applying for and interning in the legal field. Lunch will be provided!
Water in the 21st Century: Fireside Chat  promotional image

Water in the 21st Century: Fireside Chat

Tuesday, October 10, 2023 5:30pm to 6:30pm
Boyd Law Building
On Tuesday, Oct. 10, HELI will host a fireside chat style discussion between Dean Kevin Washburn and Tanya Trujillo, Iowa Law graduate (92JD) and former Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at the US Department of the Interior. Assistant Secretary Trujillo is currently the Water Policy Advisor to the New Mexico Governor and Deputy State Engineer. Assistant Secretary Trujillo will discuss her perspectives as an Iowa law graduate whose winding career path took her from private practice to the...
Land Use and Biodiversity in an Ag State:  Policies and Programs for Habitat and Species Conservation in Iowa promotional image

Land Use and Biodiversity in an Ag State: Policies and Programs for Habitat and Species Conservation in Iowa

Wednesday, October 4, 2023 12:45pm to 1:45pm
Boyd Law Building
Panelists will discuss the 30 by 30 Initiative, existing laws, current conservation programs, as well as legal and policy tools available for increasing habitat and protecting biodiversity on privately owned agricultural land across the state. Panelists for this event are: Anna Gray, Public Policy Director & Counsel at the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation Ingrid Gronstal, Research Fellow at the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative Kate Hansen, Senior Policy Associate at the Center for...

Supreme Court Preview

Thursday, September 7, 2023 12:30pm
Boyd Law Building
Fed Soc, ACS, & ELS encourage everyone to join us for our annual Supreme Court October Term preview. We will hear from several professors on some of the most impactful and notable cases slated for the upcoming SCOTUS term. Food and Drink provided.
Adapting to a Warming World: Perspectives from the Environmental Law Collaborative promotional image

Adapting to a Warming World: Perspectives from the Environmental Law Collaborative

Friday, April 14, 2023 (all day)
Boyd Law Building
Join environmental scholars from around the country for a series of talks exploring what it means to adapt to a warming world. This event will take place in Levitt Auditorium, in the Boyd Law Building on the University of Iowa campus. The panels and talks for the day are as follows: 9:30 a.m: Welcoming Remarks 9:30 - 10:45 a.m. - Panel One: Adapting Law to a Warming World Introduction to the Environmental Law Collaborative Project and the Disruptions of a Warming World Western Water Rights...
Our Common Ground: Why America’s Public Lands Are a Political and Conservation Success Story with Author and Professor John Leshy promotional image

Our Common Ground: Why America’s Public Lands Are a Political and Conservation Success Story with Author and Professor John Leshy

Tuesday, April 4, 2023 12:45pm to 1:45pm
Boyd Law Building
Author and Professor John Leshy discusses his new book, Our Common Ground: A History of America’s Public Lands on April 4, 2023. Professor Leshy’s talk highlights the main themes of this history and lessons it offers for dealing with contemporary challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, and the dramatic increase in visitation. More information will be available at: heli.law.uiowa.edu/publiclands John Leshy is the Emeritus Distinguished Professor at University of California College of...
The Human Rights Conundrum: Climate Change Interventions as Both Problem and Solution promotional image

The Human Rights Conundrum: Climate Change Interventions as Both Problem and Solution

Friday, March 31, 2023 8:50am to 6:15pm
Virtual
Join The Journal of Gender, Race & Justice (JGRJ) and Transnational Law and Contemporary Problems (TLCP) for discussions on the human rights implications of voluntary carbon markets and emerging geoengineering technologies developed to combat the climate crisis. Our panelists will explore the pragmatic implications of these approaches as well as possible regulatory frameworks, nationally and internationally. Throughout these discussions, we will center global Indigenous voices speaking on self-determination and knowledge systems that are foundational to any discussion of climate action.
Careers in Environmental Law Panel promotional image

Careers in Environmental Law Panel

Tuesday, February 28, 2023 12:45pm to 1:45pm
Boyd Law Building
Join the Environmental Law Society and the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative in a panel session with environmental law professionals, who will discuss various career paths in environmental law. Those career paths include professionals working in private firm work, nonprofit work, and government work. Panelists for this session include: Andy Andersen, Environmental Consultant, Sole Proprietor Eric Dirth – Assistant Attorney General at the Office of the Attorney General of Iowa   Ingrid...
A Spotlight On: The Endangered Species Act promotional image

A Spotlight On: The Endangered Species Act

Friday, February 17, 2023 12:45pm to 1:45pm
Boyd Law Building
Join the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative for a fireside chat between Dean Kevin Washburn and Kierán Suckling, a Founder and the Executive Director of the Center for Biological Diversity. They will discuss how the Center has become a successful litigant and change-maker for endangered species and critical habitat. Lunch will be provided for those who register in advance. More information about the event is available at: https://heli.law.uiowa.edu/endangeredspecies Please register at the...
Panel Discussion: Carbon Pipelines Across Iowa promotional image

Panel Discussion: Carbon Pipelines Across Iowa

Monday, November 7, 2022 12:45pm to 1:45pm
Boyd Law Building
You are invited to join the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative (HELI) at the UI College of Law in a panel discussion about the “Carbon Pipelines Across Iowa.” This discussion between policy experts, pipeline representatives, landowners, and environmentalists will take place on Monday, Nov. 7 from 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. in the Boyd Law Building. You can register to attend this event in person or virtually here: https://uiowa.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0ImZceYO2qwkZYq.   HELI will be providing...