Stoel Rives Reception: Law Students for Sustainable Business

Kelly Skye, Governor Kulongoski's legal counsel; Professor Rob Illig; Dean Margie Paris; and Wally Van Valkenburg, Managing Partner of the Stoel Rives Portland office.

Dean Margie Paris announced the University of Oregon School of Law's new Sustainable Business Law Statement of Completion, and the Renewable Energy class at a reception on January 30th held at Stoel Rives and hosted by the Law Students for Sustainable Business (LSSB.) Present and future members of Oregon's green business community were on hand to hear about the law school's commitment to the growing business of sustainability.

The sustainable business law program is designed to prepare law students for the growing demand for attorneys well versed in green entrepreneurship, sustainable business and renewable energy. To receive the Sustainable Business Law Statement of Completion, students must complete a selection of basic and advanced courses in business and environmental law.

Included in the program is the newly formed Renewable Energy law class, one of the first of its kind in the nation. The class is taught by Bill Holmes, the energy and telecommunications practice group leader at Stoel Rives. Students enrolled in the class will get an overview of legal issues associated with financing, permitting and constructing a renewable energy project.

LSSB co-chairs; Joe Kraus, Matt Schroettnig, Casey Whelan, and Scott Schneider

Speakers at the reception included Kelly Skye, Governor Kulongoski's legal counsel; Michael Grainey, Director of Oregon Department of Energy; Paul Kaufman, PPM Energy general counsel; Bill Holmes and Ed Einowski, renewable energy attorneys at Stoel Rives; Rob Illig, LSSB faculty advisor and law professor; and the LSSB board members.