Aida Nicole Lunderby: First "Student" for Class of 2035?

Congratulations are in order for Joshua Lunderby, a current LLM student, and his wife Nicole Ann, on the birth of Aida Nicole Lunderby.

Little Aida was born Jan. 3 at 5.46 a.m. at Swedish Medical Center in Denver. She weighed in at 7 pounds 10.9 ounces and measured 18.5 inches in length. Aida is Joshua and Nicole's first child.

All of us in the graduate program at DU wish Joshua, Nicole, and Aida the best wishes for long, healthy, productive lives.

So to get a head start on her education, we've started to fill out her application for admission to the graduate program in August 2035!

Leonardo Rodriguez, 2008 LLM Grad, Co-Authors Paper About Argentinean Mining in Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundantion Journal

Leonardo G. Rodriguez (LLM graduate 2008) has co-authored along with Francisco A. Macias an article entitled, "To Cyanide or Not to Cyanide? Some Argentinean Provinces Banned Use of Cyanide in Mining Activities: Is This Prohibition Legal," in the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Journal (Vol. 46, No. 2, 2009, pages 237-250). Mr. Rodriguez, an associate, and Mr. Macias, a partner, both work for the Buenos Aires-based firm of Marval O'Ferrell & Mairal.

After going through a careful process of analysis, the authors conclude that, "[T]he prohibition of the use of cyanide in mining processes is not reasonable. If suitable precatuionary measures are observed, the use of cyanide in those processes does not involve big risks."

The Foundantion's Journal is one of the most prestigious publications of its kind in the world.

DU Adjunct Prof. Paul Schlauch Involved in Major Dominican Republic-based Mining Deal

Adjunct Prof. Paul Schlauch, who co-teaches International and Comparative Mining Law at the DU Sturm College of Law, recently was involved in a major mining deal where his client Barrick Gold renegotiated a lease agreement for the Dominican Republic-based $2.7 billion Pueblo Viejo project.

Mr. Schlauch, who is of counsel at Holland & Hart in Denver, was recognized in LatinLawyer Online for his role in the agreement.

The Pueblo Viejo project is jointly owned by Barrick Gold Corp (60%) and Goldcorp Inc. (40%).

According to Barrick, "Pueblo Viejo is a long life, advanced gold mining project in the Sanchez Ramirez province with a pre-production capital budget of approximately $2.7 billion. The project remains on schedule to enter production in the fourth quarter of 2011."

Lance Russell, LLM Graduate 2009, Resumes Work as a Member of the South Dakota House of Representatives

Lance Russell (LLM graduate 2009) has returned to his position as a State Representative in the South Dakota House of Representatives, which resumed worked Jan. 12, 2010.

Mr. Russell, a Republican who lives in Hot Springs, represents South Dakota's 30th district, that includes the southwestern counties of Custer, Fall River, and Pennington. He is an attorney and was formerly a state's attorney for South Dakota. In the 1990s, he was executive director of the South Dakota Republican Party.

He is a member of the Taxation and Transportation Committees. Custer State Park is in Rep. Russell's district as is Badlands National Park, Mt. Rushmore National Monument, and Wind Cave National Park.

Rep. Russell and his wife, Starla, have two boys and two girls between the ages of 5 and 13.

In his law practice, Rep. Russell represents natural resource users on the Buffalo Gap National Gasslands.

Bienvenido, Bem-Vindo, Bienvenue, Welcome: New Students From Six Countries Begin LLM & MRLS Graduate Program Studies

Today marked the beginning of environmental and natural resources law and policy studies at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law for nearly 20 graduate students.

Lucy Daberkow, assistant director, and I were delighted to welcome each of the students in the group. And an impressive group it is!

First, the geographical diversity is impressive. The students who have just started the program are from the following countries:

• Brazil
• India
• Nigeria
• Peru
• Saudia Arabia
• United States

This year's program also has students (who began in August) from the following countries (and who are continuing their studies this semester):

• Argentina
• Ghana
• Republic of Lebanon
• Islamic Republic of Iran
• Mexico
• Thailand

All told, the program includes students from 12 different countries, a very impressive number and one that reflects the richness and diversity that make the DU program second to none among environmental and natural resources programs at U.S. law schools.

In addition, the students who joined us today come from a variety of different backgrounds including the following:

• Business
• Computer information systems
• Engineering
• Government
• Law
• Oil & Gas
• Tax

From all of us at the DU Sturm College of Law bienvenido, bienvenue, benvenuti, bem-vindo, welcome!

National Public Radio Reports on "New Jobs for a New Decade:" Green Jobs

National Public Radio's Morning Edition recently broadcast a story ("A Once Dark Polaroid Factory Goes Green," Jan. 5, 2010) that puts the concept of "green jobs" in a broader perspective. You should definitely read the transcript (see link above) if your interest lies in the area of green jobs.

As the story reported, "President Obama [has] said that he wants to create five million new green jobs over 10 years." Of course, we are at the very beginning of that effort. Consequently, there is no better time to be familiar with the policy discussions going on as well as equipping yourself with the best educational experiences available, many of which you can find at the DU College of Law where you will find courses on renewable energy, sustainability, climate change, and other cutting-edge topics.

Local Land Conservancy Celebrates Latest Success; DU Environmental Law Professor Rock Pring Involved in Transaction

The Clear Creek Land Conservancy (CCLC) has acquired a conservation easement from Clear Creek County, Colorado, to a 74.42-acre parcel just west of Denver. What makes the transaction even more interesting is that one of the DU College of Law's most widely acclaimed and respected professors, George (Rock) Pring, played a major role in the transaction.

Prof. Pring, the vice president for land conservation for the CCLC and an environmental law professor at DU, made the announcement in a recent e-mail proclaiming, "Celebrate the New Years/Decade with the newest CCLC conservation easement!"

The property involved is referred to as the "Oxbow Property." It is located adjacent to highway U.S. 6 west of Denver at the confluence of the North and South Forks as you cross into Clear Creek County. According to Prof. Pring, "Just before you go to into Tunnel 5 [on U.S. 6], you can look left/upstream into the property...As you exit Tunnel 5 immediately look left/downstream for a view of the other end of the Oxbow Property."

Prof. Pring said, "The Oxbow Property includes 3/5 mile of river (fishing, rafting, kayaking), the old railroad bed (great future trail), lovely wooded areas, canyon wildlife, and towering cliffs (rock climbing)."

The CCLC has an ambitious agenda, including partnering with Clear Creek County on the development of its visionary "Clear Creek Greenway" stretching from the Jefferson County Open Space Greenway all the way west across the county to the Eisenhower Tunnel.

For two maps of the property click here and here.

Several other professors associated with the DU College of Law are actively involved in conservation easements including Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Prof. Fred Cheever and Adjunct Prof. Catherine Keske.

In spring 2010, the College of Law will offer a course entitled Land Conservation Transactions. It will be taught by Jessica Jay, a national expert in conservation easements.

If this is an area of interest to you, be sure and check out DU's offerings in this exciting and important area of law and policy.