The Hubbell Gift

The Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative (HELI) is generating opportunities for the College of Law to deepen and broaden its engagement with environmental issues in Iowa and beyond. 

HELI was created by the vision and generosity of Law Alumni Charlotte Beyer Hubbell (76JD) and Fred Hubbell (76JD) who committed the gift to establish this program. The gift, which is the largest in Iowa Law history, is intended to create an active forum for interdisciplinary engagement on important environmental issues, support law students and curriculum, and ultimately strengthen the environmental law bar in Iowa.

HELI's Strategic Focus Areas

The HELI team focuses on efforts and programs that build upon successes in the following areas: 

Supporting and Expanding Student Experiences

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HELI expands experiential opportunities for future environmental leaders

Friday, May 16, 2025
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Iowa Law Awards 2025 Hubbell Award for Excellence in Environmental Law

Saturday, May 10, 2025
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Iowa Law Environmental Moot Court Team Advances to Quarterfinals at National Competition

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Continuing the legacy of environmental law

Iowa Law is a proud Constituent Law School of the Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law. 

Learn more about this designation.

Follow HELI on social media:

Upcoming Events and Programming

Law and Legacy: A Reception with the Next Generation of Lawyers  promotional image

Law and Legacy: A Reception with the Next Generation of Lawyers

Friday, September 26, 2025 4:30pm to 6:00pm
Courtyard Iowa City University Heights
This unique twist on a networking reception will convene Iowa Law students, alumni, and legal practitioners from the region to kick-off Homecoming Weekend in Iowa City. Join us for engaging sessions with students, as they share their aspirations and build valuable relationships with those already working across the legal spectrum.This event is free but registration is required: https://uiowa.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0oLyBbMQENHyMdgThis year’s event also marks a special milestone—the 25th...
The Private Sector and the Planet: Navigating the Shifting Landscape of Corporate Governance and Reporting promotional image

The Private Sector and the Planet: Navigating the Shifting Landscape of Corporate Governance and Reporting

Monday, September 29, 2025 12:45pm to 2:00pm
Boyd Law Building
Join the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative, Vanderbilt Law School’s Private Climate Governance Lab, and the Tippie Social Impact Community for the kickoff of The Private Sector and the Planet speaker series. The first talk in this series is a fireside chat with Jill Sanchez, Vice President of Financial Reporting at Deere & Company. VP Sanchez will give a talk on:"Navigating the Shifting Landscape of Corporate Governance and Reporting"As businesses strive to meet changing stakeholder...
Waters of the United States: POTUS, SCOTUS, WOTUS, and the Politics of a National Resource with Royal C. Gardner  promotional image

Waters of the United States: POTUS, SCOTUS, WOTUS, and the Politics of a National Resource with Royal C. Gardner

Friday, October 10, 2025 12:45pm to 2:00pm
Boyd Law Building
Join Royal C. Gardner, the Professor of Law, Hugh F. Culverhouse Chair, and Director of the Stetson Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy at Stetson Law, when he discusses his new book Waters of the United States: POTUS, SCOTUS, WOTUS, and the Politics of a National Resource, published by Island Press. In 2023, the Supreme Court made one of its most devastating rulings in environmental history in Sackett v. EPA. By narrowing the legal definition of ‘waters of the United States’ (WOTUS), the...

HELI Faculty and Staff

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Shannon Roesler

Title/Position
Faculty Director, Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative, Moderator
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Blake Rupe

Title/Position
Program Director, Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative