Heidi Robertson

Heidi Gorovitz Robertson is the Steven W. Percy Endowed Professor of Law and Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University (CSU), holding dual appointments in the law school and the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs. She specializes in environmental law, urban policy, and land use regulation. Her research examines environmental justice, hydraulic fracturing, public access to private lands, brownfields redevelopment, and oil/gas regulation in Ohio. Robertson has served as Associate Dean for Academic Enrichment (2009–2014) and contributed to state environmental policy through roles like the Ohio Lake Erie Commission's Blue Ribbon Task Force.

Education: BA Tufts University (1985), JD University of Wisconsin (1990), LLM & JSD Columbia University (1995, 2002). Robertson practiced environmental law in California and DC before joining CSU. She is a Fulbright Senior Specialist (2009) and has received multiple teaching and service awards, including the Wilson G. Stapleton Award for Faculty Excellence (2013).

Research emphasizes legal frameworks governing energy extraction, municipal rights, and environmental ethics. Notable work includes analyses of Ohio’s shale gas regulations, the Gulf Coast oil spill’s legal aftermath, and cross-national comparisons of public land access rights. Robertson teaches courses on environmental law, property rights, and regulatory policy.

• Awards: Fulbright Senior Specialist, multiple Faculty Merit Awards, Teaching Excellence recognitions.
• Professional Roles: Former Board Member of Clean Air Conservancy (1999–2007), Ohio Lake Erie Commission Task Force.
• Key Research Areas: Hydraulic fracturing, brownfields, environmental justice, municipal home-rule rights, oil/gas regulation.