Denver Law Environmental Program Director Don Smith Presents Lecture at Metro State College of Denver

Don Smith, Denver Law Lecturer and Director of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law (ENRL) program, recently presented a lecture comparing the legal systems of the European Union and United States at Metro State College of Denver.

Professor Susana Vela, who teaches American Government at Metro State, kindly extended the invitation to Professor Smith as part of her curriculum on comparative legal systems.

Professor Smith said, "There are three major economic powers in today's world: China, the EU, and the US. Understanding how the EU works can be useful in many ways to students who study about the US." In particular, he said the EU system of governance provides students a "unique and innovative model" by which to judge other governance systems.

The EU is the successor to the European Economic Community, which was founded in 1957. The EU governs most European issues related to matters such as trade in goods and services, free movement of people, and environmental issues. The EU has 27 members, which are located in western and central Europe.

ENRL Associate Administrative Director Lucy Daberkow was a special guest as well. "Strenghtening the ties between Metro State and Denver Law is a key element in our efforts to recruit top-notch candidates locally," Ms. Daberkow said. "We look forward to a continued collaboration with our colleagues at Metro State College."

Mr. Smith said, "I greatly appreciated Professor Vela's offer to speak to her class. I hope this is the first of many cooperative ventures between Denver Law and Metro State."

Editor's note: Photos (from top): Lucy Daberkow, Don Smith, Susana Vela; Don Smith; Susana Vela, Don Smith.