Lewis & Clark’s environmental law program honored several alumni on October 13, 2020, in a virtual event. Three alums were honored as Distinguished Environmental Law Graduates in recognition of their significant contributions to the environmental or natural resources law fields:
Lara Skidmore (’93) (in memoriam) worked at Bonneville Power Administration and PacifiCorp after receiving her JD from Lewis & Clark. In 2007, she opened the Portland office of Troutman Sanders, an international law firm with a large energy practice, and became its Portland office managing partner. Lara was a stalwart of the Northwest Energy Bar and mentored numerous young lawyers during her career and went out of her way to guide women attorneys, helping them achieve their full potential.
Brad Grenham (’95) works as an attorney with the United States Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor in Portland, Oregon. He focuses on public land law, water law, and natural resource damage assessments. Grenham teaches the Environmental Law practicum course at the law school, and supervises student’s placements in environmental organizations.
Tanya Sanerib (’02) is the International Legal Director, Senior Attorney, at the Center for Biological Diversity in Seattle, Washington where she works to protect imperiled species and biological diversity worldwide. Sanerib said she picked Lewis & Clark for her law degree because of its extensive environmental curriculum, its friendly and supportive environment, and the opportunities for hands-on learning.
Two recent law school graduates were honored with the Williamson Award, named for Professor Billy Williamson, one of the founders of the environmental law program. This award is given by the Lewis & Clark Law School Environmental Alumni Association to a recent graduate who demonstrates commitment, vision, leadership, and creativity in the field of public interest environmental law and who plans to continue in this work after law school.
Hannah Clements (’20), came to the law school to become “a powerful environmental advocate.” Clements is a Wyss Scholar, which is awarded to students who are interested in natural resources and public lands issues on western lands. Clements is currently a federal law clerk for Judge Michael W. Mosman, U.S. District Court of Oregon. She plans to focus her career on western lands.
Sangye Ince-Johannsen (’19) was selected as a recipient of the Environmental, Natural Resources, and Energy Law Leadership Award and as a member of the Cornelius Honor Society as a student. He recently completed a fellowship with the Western Environmental Law Center in Eugene, Oregon, and will continue as its newest staff attorney.
