Across the United States, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted everyday life, caused thousands of deaths, and unleased unprecedented economic stress not seen since the 2008 Great Recession. These economic conditions have had an impact on the legal profession.

The 2019-2020 U.S. Supreme Court term was an active one in the environmental area, with cases involving the Clean Water Act, Superfund sites, pipelines, and more. How will the Supreme Court 2019-2020 term shape environmental jurisprudence and what can we learn from the recent decisions as to how the justices might approach future environmental cases?

One of the most important and quickly-evolving areas of modern environmental law is climate change litigation. In the absence of meaningful federal action on the climate change front by Congress and the Executive Branch, and the failure of the energy industry to take responsibility for the adverse environmental consequences of their carbon-based products, private parties and state and local governments are increasingly turning to the courts to vindicate their climate change-based interests.

The lack of access to justice – including access to the courts and legal representation – perpetuates environmental injustices endured by communities and undermines the public’s confidence in government agencies

As the world plans for economic recovery following the global COVID-19 pandemic, major economies are looking to comprehensive strategies for addressing carbon risks and identifying green finance opportunities.