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