DU Law-Affiliated Attendees Play Major Role at International Mining and Oil & Gas Development and Investment Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Individuals who have an affiliation with the University of Denver Sturm College of Law are extremely well represented this week at a Special Institute on International Mining , Oil and Gas Law, Development and Investment that is being held this week in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The meeting, one of the leading conferences of its kind in the world, is co-sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation and the International Bar Association. In fact, the level of participants in the conference who have DU Law affiliations is really exceptional.

One leading participant told me that leaving aside the Brazilian attendees, who make up the single biggest group of participants, DU Law is very likely the most well-represented of any educational institution from around the world. The reason? Probably because DU Law has a growing reputation as one of the foremost educational institutions of its kind in the world that focuses on teaching about the convergence of environmental, natural resources, energy, and human rights law. Moreover, these are the issues that are fundamental to economic development all over the world.

Here are the attendees who are affiliated with DU Law:

Juris Doctor graduates:

• Cassie Boggs, Denver
• Jim Cress, Denver
• Mary A. Viviano, Denver

LLM graduates:

• Daniel P. Altikes, Santiago, Chile
• Maria Carolina Crespo, Buenos Aires, Argentina (now working in Washington, D.C.)
• Manuel Fumagalli, Santiago, Chile
• Anya Mallett, Denver
• Jaime de Orbegoso, Santiago, Chile
• Marcelo Olivares, Santiago, Chile
• Diego Parravicini, Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Miguel I. Rivero, Caracas, Venezuela
• Leonardo G. Rodriguez, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Current LLM students:

• Nino Coppero (home country is Peru)
• Luis Antonio La Rosa Airaldi (home country is Peru)

DU Law adjunct professors:

• Ana Elizabeth Bastida, Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Cecilia Dalupan, Denver
• Luke J. Danielson, Gunnison
• Florencia Heredia, Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Mark Nesbitt, Denver
• Luis Carlos Rodrigo Prado, Lima, Peru

In later postings I will review some of the key themes and presentations that have been part of this exceptional gathering, which has brought together more than 350 attendees from 26 countries.

DU Law's impressive "group" in Rio is further confirmation of the expanding importance of our program's graduates and our program's global reach. Moreover, it underscores that where important environmental and natural resources decisions around the world are being made, there is likely to be a DU Law connection.

As one Latin American told me tonight, "It is clear that there is one place for an aspiring international environmental or natural resources lawyer to study, and it is without question the University of Denver."

Don C. Smith
Director Environmental and Natural Resources Law Program

Rare Earth Minerals Discussed by Mining Investment Executive and College of Law Alumnus Cassie Boggs and Denver Post Reporter Bruce Finley

Cassie Boggs, General Counsel for Resource Capital Funds, and Bruce Finley, a reporter for The Denver Post, addressed the political, business, and environmental issues related to extraction and refinement of rare earth minerals at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law recently.

Ms. Boggs and Mr. Finley were guest lecturers in Professor K.K. DuVivier's "Mining Law" course.

Ms. Boggs, a 1981 College of Law JD graduate and a former Senior Vice President at Barrick Gold Corporation, has worked all over the world in positions in the mining sector. She has a particularly well-informed perspective on rare earth minerals since Resource Capital Funds (RCF) -- a private equity firm that invests in minerals -- was one of the original investors in Molycorp Minerals, which owns a mine in Mountain Pass, California, that produces rare earth minerals.

These minerals are highly sought after for clean technology-related manufacturing (e.g., in building clean tech cars, wind power turbines, etc.). Nathan Vardi, who writes "The Jungle" for Forbes, has gone so far as to characterize RCF's increased investment value in Molycorp as "staggering."

Molycorp, Ms. Boggs pointed out, is the only major rare earth minerals provider outside of China. She noted that in 2008 129,000 metric tons of rare earth minerals were produced worldwide, but only 4,000 metric tons were produced outside of China. In fact, over the last 10 years 96 percent of the world's rare earth minerals have been produced in China. One challenge related to this production pattern, Ms. Boggs said, is that China has increasingly restricted the export of these minerals. Consequently, the value of Molycorp has also increased. Molycorp's goal is to establish a fully integrated supply chain operation that will extract, refine, and make rare earths alloys and minerals as well as magnets.

Mr. Finley, who has reported about rare earth minerals in his role as environmental reporter for The Denver Post, identified several key challenges the world -- and the U.S. in particular -- faces with regard to rare earth minerals. One key challenge involves the extent to which the U.S. should prioritize the production of domestic rare earth minerals for security reasons.

Don Smith, Director of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Program, said the presentations made by Ms. Boggs and Mr. Finley were very useful to students whose professional lives will likely involve, on some level, rare earth minerals. "This topic is one of the key matters of our time, particularly as involves how firms and countries will access rare earth minerals. Students in Professor DuVivier's course were able to learn from two highly respected individuals, thus enriching their overall knowledge of the matter.

"All of us are indebted to Professor DuVivier for setting up this discussion and to Ms. Boggs and Mr. Finely for helping educate us on this extremely important and timely matter."

Editor's note: In the picture, Ms. Boggs is on the left, Professor DuVivier is in the center, and Mr. Finley on the right.

Taciana Fonseca Marques, 2010 LLM Graduate From the Sturm College of Law, Working for the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, D.C.

Taciana Fonseca Marques, a 2010 Environmental and Natural Resources Law & Policy LLM Program graduate from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, is working for the Inter-American Development Bank.

Currently Ms. Marques is stationed in Washington, D.C., where she provides legal advice on the bank's loans and guarantees.

Beginning in mid-2011, she will spend two years working in Brazil where she will be responsible for helping move forward transport infrastructure projects. Specifically she will serve as coordinator for the Government of Sao Paulo's Public Private Partnership Commission for Concessions for rail and subways.

Ms. Marques earned her Brazilian legal license and practiced law in the country before coming to study at the University of Denver.

Don C. Smith, Director of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law & Policy Program, said, "It is thrilling for us at the Sturm College of Law to see Taciana in this key position at the IBD. The next several years will be exciting ones for Brazil, where the World Cup and the Olympics will soon take place. Ms. Marques' efforts to help develop additional infrastructure in her home country will benefit Brazil as well as all who will visit Brazil. We congratulate her on achieving this important position and extend our best wishes for her future success."

Established in 1959, the IBD is the largest source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean, "with a strong commitment to achieve measurable results, increased integrity, transparency and accountability," according to the IBD.

While a regular bank in many ways, the IBD is also unique in some key respects. Besides loans, the bank provide grants, technical assistance, and does research. The IBD's shareholders are 48 member countries, including 26 Latin American and Caribbean borrowing members, who have a majority ownership of the IDB.