Getches-Wilkinson Center

Colorado Law Announces Chris Winter as Executive Director of the Getches-Wilkinson Center

Anonymous — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 19:26:36 +0000

Colorado Law Announces Chris Winter as Executive Director of the Getches-Wilkinson Center Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 06/23/2023 - 13:26

The University of Colorado Law School is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Winter as the new Executive Director of the Getches-Wilkinson Center (GWC). Winter brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to natural resources law and policy, making him an ideal leader for the renowned center. This appointment follows the stewardship of interim co-directors Professor Michael Pappas and Professor Mark Squillace.

Winter assumes this pivotal role at the GWC with a remarkable track record in environmental advocacy, education, and policy development. With 25 years of experience in the field of natural resources and environmental law, Winter has established himself as an attorney and advocate of extraordinary effectiveness, dedicating much of his career to public land management, environmental justice, and representing indigenous communities.

In 2001, Winter co-founded a non-profit law center based in Portland, Oregon, which represented public interest clients in federal and state courts across the Pacific Northwest. Over 17 years, he earned a reputation for winning challenging cases on behalf of grassroots organizations facing daunting odds and formidable opposition. Notably, Winter represented Alaska Native organizations in the U.S. Arctic, successfully protecting their subsistence activities from the impacts of offshore oil and gas exploration. He also served as lead counsel in Rosemere Neighborhood Ass'n v. U.S. E.P.A., a landmark case that shed light on the EPA's inadequate investigation of citizen complaints under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. His litigation record includes numerous victories on a wide range of issues in federal and state courts.

Most recently, Winter led a national advocacy organization working at the intersection of outdoor recreation and public land management. He spearheaded efforts to restore Bears Ears National Monument, promote human-powered outdoor recreation, and conserve public lands. Winter's extensive experience, particularly in engaging with diverse stakeholders and representing marginalized communities, uniquely positions him to lead the GWC.

"We are so glad to welcome Chris Winter as the new Executive Director of the Getches-Wilkinson Center, reaffirming our commitment to excellence in environmental law and policy," said Lolita Buckner Inniss, dean of the University of Colorado Law School. "We extend our gratitude to Professors Michael Pappas and Mark Squillace for their invaluable contributions as interim co-directors. With Chris at the helm, we are confident in the center's continued growth and its ability to shape the future of environmental law and policy."

Winter's deep expertise in environmental law and advocacy, combined with his passion for interdisciplinary collaboration, make him an ideal leader for the GWC. He has a proven ability to build partnerships and engage stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to address critical environmental issues.

"I am honored to join the GWC and contribute to its legacy of excellence," said Chris Winter. "For years the center has been a respected institution in environmental law scholarship and action. I am excited to build on that foundation in collaboration with Colorado Law’s extraordinary students as well as the state’s passionate and effective legal community."

Winter's appointment underscores the school's dedication to fostering a sustainable future through rigorous research, innovative solutions, and impactful engagement.

the Getches-Wilkinson Center

The Getches-Wilkinson Center is a leading center for environmental law and policy at the University of Colorado Law School. It is committed to serving the people of the American West, the nation, and the world through creative, interdisciplinary research, bold, inclusive teaching, and innovative problem solving in order to further true sustainability for our lands, waters, and environment.

The University of Colorado Law School is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Winter as the new Executive Director of the Getches-Wilkinson Center (GWC).

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Acequia Assistance Project Awarded 2022 ABA Distinguished Achievement in Environmental Law and Policy Award

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Dec 2022 19:19:48 +0000

Acequia Assistance Project Awarded 2022 ABA Distinguished Achievement in Environmental Law and Policy Award Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 12/26/2022 - 12:19

Earlier this month, the American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources recognized the Acequia Assistance Project with the 2022 Distinguished Achievement Award in Environmental Law and Policy during an online awards presentation.

The award recognizes individuals or organizations who have distinguished themselves in environmental law and policy, contributing significant leadership in improving the substance, process or understanding of environmental protection and sustainable development.

(Pictured: Director Gregor MacGregor with Student Deputy Directors Ellen Beckert, Cameron Abatti, Mary Slosson, Jackson Dunivan, and Oliver Skelly. Not Pictured: Student Deputy Director Grace Jimenez.)

“It is an incredible honor to accept the award on behalf of the hundreds of students, dozens of supervising attorneys, and many community partners who have advanced environmental justice for Colorado’s acequias over the past decade,” remarked Gregor MacGregor, faculty fellow at the University of Colorado Law School and director of the Acequia Assistance Project. “My special thanks to Professor Sarah Krakoff, Peter Nichols ’01, and Sarah Parmar for launching the Project. A further thank-you to alumnus Don Brown ’89 and the University’s Outreach Office, whose generous funding allows us to support Colorado’s acequias and the professional growth of our students. And finally, my sincerest gratitude goes out to the acequia members who continue to invite us to work and learn in their beautiful community. The Deputy Directors and I are honored to continue the Project’s work on behalf of our community partners and students. Thank you.”

The Acequia Assistance Project is an environmental justice program at the University of Colorado Law School that provides pro bono legal services to southern Colorado's Hispanic agricultural community. For the last ten years, law students, faculty, and pro bono attorneys have helped these irrigation ditches, acequias, to realize their water rights after the Acequia Recognition Act remedied 120 years of exclusion from Colorado's water law regime.

Acequia is an Arabic word that means “water bearer.” An acequia is a physical irrigation system but the term “acequia” in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado also describes a philosophy about water and community– that water is so essential to life that it is a communal resource, one which must be shared. Acequias are found along the southernmost part of Colorado – including four of the state’s poorest counties: Costilla, Conejos, Huerfano, and Las Animas. While water is wealth throughout the arid West, to the small-scale farmer in these traditional communities the acequia culture represents even more: Acequias are how you support your family and how you participate in your community.

Founded as a passion project by Professor Sarah Krakoff, Colorado Law alumnus water attorney Peter Nichols ‘01, and Colorado Open Lands' Sarah Parmar, the Project provides Hispanic farmers with a full suite of legal services related to their water rights, including: representation in Colorado's Water Courts; researching legal issues pertinent to the community as a whole; title research; bylaws drafting and amending; mediation; incorporation; water rights historic use collection; and drafting water rights purchase and sale agreements.

For the 2021-2022 school year, the Project included 42 students, 5 pro bono attorneys, and 15 cases. In 2019, the last full year pre-COVID, the Project provided nearly $300,000 of legal services with an operating budget of only $8,000 from the University's Outreach funding. Funding covers the costs of student travel, filing fees, and other incidental costs. All attorney and student participation is entirely voluntary.

“I could not be more proud to see the Acequia Project's many years of dedicated efforts recognized in such a profound way,” commented dean of the law school Lolita Buckner Inniss. “The students, alumni, faculty, and community partners’ dedication to promoting these communities' access to the courts and effective management of resources is inspiring. Its role in instilling a commitment to environmental justice in hundreds of Colorado’s best and brightest future attorneys is truly invaluable.”

Interested in supporting the Acequia Project? Head to the CU Foundation’s Giving Site to make your contribution to the Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy and the Environment.

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