About
Richard J. Lazarus is the Charles Stebbins Fairchild Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, specializing in environmental law, natural resources law, and Supreme Court advocacy. He has argued 14 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and authored influential books such as The Making of Environmental Law and The Rule of Five. His research focuses on constitutional law’s intersection with environmental issues, particularly climate change governance. Lazarus served as Executive Director of the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and co-founded the Georgetown Supreme Court Institute. He holds a B.S. in Chemistry and B.A. in Economics from the University of Illinois and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.
Research Interests: Lazarus’s work bridges environmental law, constitutional law, and Supreme Court dynamics. He analyzes how judicial decisions shape environmental policy, with a focus on climate change litigation and regulatory frameworks. His recent scholarship critiques the 'constitutional alarmism' of current Supreme Court trends.
Awards:
- 2011: Distinguished Achievement in Environmental Law (American Bar Association)
- 2002: Frank Flegal Teaching Award (Georgetown University)
- 2009: Teacher of the Year (Washington University)
Labs/Teams: Lazarus is affiliated with Harvard’s Environmental and Energy Law Program and contributed to the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability. He advises on environmental policy and teaches courses like Environmental Law after the Biden Administration.
