Harvard Law School (HLS) has announced a $15 million gift from alumnus Dan Emmett (’64) and the Emmett Foundation to establish an environmental law center and a first-of-its-kind environmental moot court institute.

Named in recognition of the donor, the Emmett Environmental Law Center will include new faculty and staff attorneys, funding for student field work, and on-campus convenings. According to HLS, the gift will also establish the country’s first environmental moot court institute, which will enable attorneys and students to practice and develop their arguments in front of Harvard’s environmental law experts; underwrite a fund for student field work and support important convenings to bring stakeholders together to work on the most challenging climate, energy, and environmental problems; and help facilitate deeper connections between the Emmett Center and other schools and institutions across Harvard University, including Harvard Business and Kennedy schools, and the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability.

“The gift will enable the center to expand upon Harvard Law’s groundbreaking work in the field, create greater capacity to influence environmental, climate, and energy law and policy, and train students who will work in every branch of government and across the private and nonprofit sectors, to spur greater environmental protection and sustainability for generations to come,” said Jody Freeman, the Archibald Cox Professor of Law and founding director of the Environmental and Energy Law Program at Harvard.

“I am thrilled that this new center will advance the important work happening at Harvard in environmental law, including in teaching, research, and support for critical environmental rules and regulations,” said Emmett. “I am excited for the opportunities this will provide to students and future leaders in law, government, business, and more. And I am certain the center will have a positive impact on the law and on our environment for generations to come.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Vladislav Stepanov)