Pace University’s Elisabeth Haub School of Law Ranks #1 in the Nation in Environmental Law for the Third Consecutive Year; Trial Advocacy Program Ranks #24

Pace University’s Elisabeth Haub School of Law is once again ranked number one in the country for Environmental Law by the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, released today.

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This is the third year in a row, and the fourth time in five years, that Haub Law has received the number one ranking for Environmental Law, marking the latest major success for the school’s Environmental Law Program. With a global footprint and consistently rated among the very best in the country, the program continues to recruit top faculty, generate top scholarship in the field, establish leading-edge programs to address the most pressing environmental challenges, and attract students who seek to become the environmental law leaders of the future.

“Congratulations to the faculty, students, and staff of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law on once again being recognized as the best environmental law program in the country,” said Pace University President Marvin Krislov. “This third consecutive No. 1 ranking confirms what we at Pace have long known: that the scholarship, innovation, and advocacy for the environment at Haub Law are simply unmatched, as is the commitment to solving today’s most pressing environmental challenges. This also underscores Pace University’s commitment to environmental issues, where we remain grateful to the Haub family for their ongoing devotion to the field of environmental law and to our law school.”​

The Environmental Law Program is widely known for its signature programs, expert faculty, renowned scholarship, and attracting distinguished guest speakers. In 2021, the Law School launched the Sustainable Business Law Hub, creating opportunities for training, policy, and research that address global environmental challenges. The Sustainable Business Law Hub also consists of an advisory board featuring experts in the field, and the Hub has collaborated with prestigious firms and companies to offer students paid internship opportunities in their ESG practice. In recent years, the program also initiated the Environmental Law and Policy Hack Competition for law schools throughout the country. Other well-known programs and opportunities at the School include the Environmental Litigation Clinic, the Food and Farm Business Law Clinic, and the Jeffrey G. Miller National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition.

We are proud that our Environmental Law Program continues to remain at the forefront of training the environmental leaders, advocates, and changemakers of tomorrow

—Dean Horace E. Anderson Jr.

The Law School also hosts lectures and panels throughout the year featuring environmental scholars, advocates, and policymakers, and it recognizes leading international environmentalists through the annual presentation of the Elisabeth Haub Award for Environmental Law and Diplomacy, considered one of the world’s most distinguished awards in the field of environmental law. In recent years, the Haub Award has been presented to environmental activist and climate justice advocate Vanessa Nakate, environmental law scholar Professor Wang Xi, Brazilian environmentalist and Professor Paulo de Bessa Antunes, and others. At the most recent annual Gilbert and Sarah Kerlin Lecture on Environmental Law, Jeffrey Prieto, the current General Counsel of the Environmental Protection Agency, served as the speaker.

"I am thrilled that the work of our Environmental Law Program has been recognized by U.S. News and World Report for the third year in a row with a number-one ranking," said Jason J. Czarnezki, Kerlin Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law and Associate Dean for Environmental Law Programs and Strategic Initiatives at Haub Law. "We provide our students with an immersive classroom experience while also ensuring our students have numerous practical learning opportunities, so they are able transition from the classroom into the field seamlessly. The education our students receive at Pace Haub Law launches them into their careers as environmental lawyers, policy experts, and change makers, in law firms, non-profits, environmental NGOs, companies, government agencies, and more.”

Haub Law offers more than 40 environmental law courses, clinical experiences, internships, externships, and more. In recent years, the Law School has expanded its environmental law faculty as well, attracting prominent scholars in the field. Students have the opportunity to research emerging areas of environmental law alongside experts in the field through the Environmental Law Program’s various centers and institutes, including the Pace Energy & Climate Center and the Land Use Law Center, and can directly represent clients through the Environmental Litigation Clinic and the Food and Farm Business Law Clinic. “The clinical experiences and opportunities for practical growth at Haub Law go unmatched,” said Professor Czarnezki. “We aren’t just teaching our students about environmental law, we are showing them how to be advocates and environmental lawyers who will put an end to the climate crisis.”

Haub Law was also recently ranked #1 in the top 50 Environmental Policy Centers of Excellence across the globe by the journal of Environmental Policy and Law (EPL). The purpose of the EPL ranking is to provide an overview of those institutions most active in the domain of environmental policy and law. Haub Law is also a member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which provides students with the opportunity to draft memoranda, debate issues, and attend IUCN meetings, including the World Conservation Congress and U.S. National Committee meetings. Additionally, through the United Nations Diplomacy Practicum, students provide assistance to UN country Missions by attending their meetings and preparing research on issues such as climate change, renewable energy, fisheries protection, and forest management. These opportunities provide Haub Law students with the tools they need to be national and international leaders in environmental law.

The Elisabeth Haub School of Law had several other programs recognized in the rankings this year, including its clinical training, health law, criminal law, tax law, and part-time programs. The recognition of these programs reflects Haub Law’s continued ability to provide a top-notch legal education and develop both steadfast and original curricular and practical opportunities.

Additionally, Haub Law’s impressive trial advocacy program continues to rise in the rankings, coming in at number 24 this year, once again ranking in the top 15% of law schools. Over the last year, Haub Law has had 31+ Mock Trial and Moot Court Teams, with an average of over 110 student participants on these teams as a whole. The Law School’s Mock Trial and Moot Court teams regularly place at or near the top in competitions. In recent years, Haub Law hosted its first Advocate in Residence, Gillian More, a lifelong prosecutor with a worldwide reputation in advocacy. The Trial Advocacy Program is led by Lou Fasulo, Professor of Practice and Director of Advocacy Programs.

"We are proud that our Environmental Law Program continues to remain at the forefront of training the environmental leaders, advocates, and changemakers of tomorrow,” said Dean Horace E. Anderson Jr. “Our Environmental Law Program was founded decades ago and since then we continue to develop new programs to meet the ever-changing demands of the world. We are also thrilled with the upward trajectory of our Trial Advocacy Program in the rankings, which is a direct result of the tremendous advocacy program and opportunities that exist at Haub Law. We also are pleased with the continued positive recognition of our other programs, which are all connected to the top tier legal education that we provide at Haub Law. Every day, our faculty, staff, students, and alumni are making a difference and we at Haub Law are proud to provide the foundation for that.