Judge McKeown Will Give Rentschler Lecture March 28 at UW

Judge M. Margaret McKeown, of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, is the University of Wyoming American Heritage Center’s (AHC) George A. Rentschler Lecturer. She will give a free public lecture at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, March 28, in the UW College of Business auditorium.

She will discuss her recently published book titled “Citizen Justice: The Environmental Legacy of William O. Douglas-Public Advocate and Conservation Champion.” The lecture focuses on Douglas and his enduring legacy as an environmental advocate.

Douglas was among the country’s legal stalwarts during the 20th century, serving on the U.S. Supreme Court from 1939-1975, which set a record as the longest-sitting Supreme Court justice. He was an avid outdoorsman and an ardent environmentalist, working to preserve natural lands and citizen access to them.

McKeown was appointed to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals by former President Bill Clinton and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 1998. Previously, she was the first woman partner in the Seattle and Washington, D.C., offices of the law firm Perkins Coie. McKeown was a White House fellow from 1980 until 1981, serving as special assistant to the Secretary of the Interior and as special assistant at the White House.

Named one of the “50 Most Influential Women Lawyers in the United States” by the National Law Journal, McKeown earned her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. She was awarded an honorary doctorate by Georgetown University in 2005.

A native of Casper, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree from UW in 1972. In 2017, she received UW’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

McKeown’s campus visit is made possible through the AHC’s George A. Rentschler Lecture fund. The lecture is given by a national expert on a topic relevant to Wyoming and the West. It also is supported by the UW College of Law, Honors College, and Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources.

During her campus visit, McKeown also will speak to UW classes and students in more informal settings.