Leading Natural Resources Scholar to Speak on Public Lands at UW

John Leshy, former solicitor of the U.S. Department of Interior and author of “Our Common Ground: A History of America’s Public Lands,” will be the final speaker Friday, Oct. 18, for Law Week 2024 at the University of Wyoming.

Known for his expertise in natural resources law, including public lands and water law, Leshy is the Emeritus Harry D. Sunderland and Distinguished Professor of Real Property Law at the University of California College of the Law-San Francisco.

Leshy will speak at the Frank J. Trelease Dinner organized by the UW College of Law’s John Burman Student Government. The dinner honors Trelease, who was a premier Western water law scholar, a professor for 33 years and former dean of the UW College of Law.

The public is invited to the event, which will be held from 6:30-10:30 p.m. at the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center. The Gina Guy Center for Land and Water Law is a supporting sponsor. Tickets are $20 and include dinner. Tickets may be reserved here or by emailing the John Burman Student Government at jbsg@uwyo.edu. The deadline for purchasing tickets is Friday, Oct. 11.

As the solicitor for the Department of the Interior under President Bill Clinton, Leshy was instrumental in shaping policies related to federal land management and natural resource conservation.

“He is one of the most noted natural resource scholars in the nation,” says Associate Dean Sam Kalen of the UW College of Law. 

Law Week, held Monday-Friday, Oct. 14-18, features a variety of law-related programming. The complete schedule is available here.