The 18th annual Public Interest Law & Policy Speakers Series, sponsored by the School of Law at Washington University in St. Louis, kicks off its spring series Jan. 21. Ten lectures this semester will focus on civil rights, national security, art, the Second Amendment and more.
All lectures are free and open to the public.
The series begins at 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, in the Danforth University Center, Room 276, with a lecture on climate change by Joel Schwartz, PhD, professor of environmental epidemiology at Harvard University.
Schwartz’ talk, “Air Pollution, Temperature, and Climate Change: Health Risks and Benefits,” will focus on the significan links between climate change and public health.
His research focuses on the health effects of lead and air pollutants, as well as water contamination.
The next lecture takes place at noon Thursday, Feb. 4, with a talk on art and the law by Kevin P. Ray, of counsel at Greenberg Traurig, LLP, in Anheuser-Busch Hall, Room 305.
Ray focuses his practice in the areas of art and cultural heritage law and financial services.
Prior to practicing law, Ray was director of rare books, manuscripts and art collections at Washington University and taught at the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts.
The series concludes Monday, April 25, with a talk by John Paul Stevens, former associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Stevens will present a lecture titled “How We Should Change the Second Amendment.”
Stevens served on the Supreme Court from Dec. 19, 1975, until his retirement on June 29, 2010. At the time of his retirement, he was the oldest justice then serving, the second-oldest serving justice in the history of the court and the third longest-serving U.S. Supreme Court justice in history.
For a complete list of speakers, dates and locations, visit law.wustl.edu/pilss/.