The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at ĢƵվ has once again been ranked #1 in the nation for Environmental Law by U.S. News & World Report, marking the seventh time—and the sixth consecutive year—the program has earned the top distinction and further solidifying its position as a global leader in environmental legal education.
The 2026 rankings also reflect the continued strength and growth of the Law School across a number of key program areas. Other highlights include #21 in Trial Advocacy, #36 in Dispute Resolution, #56 in International Law, #75 in Tax Law, #83 in Health Law, and a part-time program ranking of #43.
“For six consecutive years, Pace Haub Law has been recognized as the nation’s top environmental law program,” said Dean Horace E. Anderson Jr. “This continued distinction reflects the strength of our faculty, the depth of our experiential learning opportunities, and our commitment to preparing students to address the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.”
Established in 1976, the Pace Haub Law Environmental Law Program has a global footprint and remains at the leading edge of environmental law. The program’s continued evolution includes new partnerships, innovative programming, and faculty scholarship that is shaping the future of environmental law and policy on a national and international scale. Initiatives such as the Sustainable Business Law Hub, the Environmental Law and Policy Hack Competition, and the Future Environmental Law Professors Workshop create new opportunities for training, policy development, and research that address emerging environmental challenges.
The Law School also hosts a wide range of lectures, panels, and symposia throughout the year, bringing leading environmental scholars, advocates, and policymakers to campus, and annually presents the Elisabeth Haub Award for Environmental Law and Diplomacy, which is one of the world’s most distinguished honors in the field. In addition, Pace Haub Law maintains a longstanding partnership with the Yale School of the Environment, offering multiple joint degree programs and co-hosting the New Directions in Environmental Law Conference (NDEL), a premier academic gathering that brings together students and scholars from over 30 institutions. With more than 40 environmental law courses, and extensive clinic offerings, including the Environmental Litigation Clinic and Food and Farm Business Law Clinic, as well as opportunities through centers such as the Global Center for Environmental Legal Studies, Pace Energy & Climate Center and Land Use Law Center, students gain hands-on experience tackling complex environmental issues. This October, a cohort of 4 Pace faculty members, 5 students, and 6 alumni successfully advocated for the adoption of 10 motions addressing critical environmental issues at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi. These opportunities uniquely prepare Pace Haub Law graduates to become leaders in environmental law and policy at both the national and international level.
Last year, the Law School announced a dynamic new leadership team to guide its top-ranked Environmental Law Program into the future. Katrina Fischer Kuh, Haub Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law, now serves as Faculty Director of the Environmental Law Program. Achinthi C. Vithanage, Professor of Law for Designated Service in Environmental Law and Associate Director of Environmental Law Programs, was appointed Executive Director of the Environmental Law Program. In addition, Josh Galperin, Associate Professor of Law, now serves as Faculty Director of the Sustainable Business Law Hub.
Our Environmental Law Program is defined by both rigorous scholarship and hands-on experience.
—Katrina Fischer Kuh, Haub Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law, Faculty Director of the Environmental Law Program
“Our Environmental Law Program is defined by both rigorous scholarship and hands-on experience,” said Kuh. “We are preparing students not only to understand the law, but to shape it, ensuring they are equipped to tackle complex environmental challenges on a national and global scale. Providing this training for our students is possible as a result of the community of talented and committed professors, adjuncts, alumni, and institutional partners who enrich our program and to whom we are deeply grateful.”
Beyond the Environmental Law Program, Pace Haub Law continues to strengthen its academic offerings across disciplines through strategic faculty growth in other disciplines. Lauren Roth, an accomplished scholar in health law and business law, recently joined the faculty as an Associate Professor of Law, contributing to the Law School’s Health Law and Policy certificate program. Her addition further enhances opportunities for students to engage with emerging issues at the intersection of health, business, and regulatory law.
The Law School has also welcomed Professor Imre Szalai, a nationally recognized arbitration scholar whose work strengthens the Law School’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) programs. His extensive scholarship on arbitration law, combined with his practical experience, enhances the Law School’s ability to prepare students for work in complex dispute resolution settings. He joins Professor Jill I. Gross, Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and a nationally respected authority on securities arbitration and investor protection, whose leadership and scholarship have been instrumental in shaping the Law School’s reputation in this field.
Alternative Dispute Resolution has become an area of distinction at Pace Haub Law, supported by robust curricular and experiential opportunities that allow students to develop practical skills in mediation, arbitration, and negotiation. The Law School is home to the Amelia A. Gould Representation in Mediation Clinic, one of the only clinics in the country dedicated to representing clients in mediation. Students also gain hands-on experience through the Fairbridge Investor Rights Clinic, which focuses on customer disputes with securities broker-dealers.
Further advancing its leadership in this area, Pace Haub Law partnered with the Campaign for Greener Arbitrations – North America Committee (CGA-NA) to launch the inaugural Greener Arbitration Writing Competition last year, showcasing emerging scholarship on sustainable arbitration practices, with the competition returning for a second year. Last year, the Law School, in partnership with CGA-NA, also hosted a special New York Arbitration Week program, spotlighting innovation, sustainability, and greener arbitration practices in international arbitration while bringing together leading practitioners, academics, and emerging voices in the field. The program also served as the conclusion of the inaugural Greener Arbitration Writing Competition. These initiatives position Pace Haub Law at the forefront of emerging conversations around sustainable dispute resolution while highlighting the important intersection of environmental law and ADR.
Pace Haub Law’s Trial Advocacy program continues to gain national recognition, now ranked #21 in the country. The program’s success is driven by a commitment to experiential learning and competitive excellence.
“Our advocacy program continues to demonstrate exceptional growth and national competitiveness,” said Louis V. Fasulo, Professor of Trial Practice and Director of Advocacy Programs. “Through hands-on training, dedicated coaching, and extensive competition opportunities, our students develop the skills necessary to become effective and impactful advocates. These rankings reflect both the strength of our program and the dedication of our students.”
Through hands-on training, dedicated coaching, and extensive competition opportunities, our students develop the skills necessary to become effective and impactful advocates.
—Louis V. Fasulo, Professor of Trial Practice and Director of Advocacy Programs
Student advocacy teams continue to excel in both national and international competitions, with the Alternative Dispute Resolution team earning top honors at a variety of recent events. The Law School’s trial advocacy teams are often coached by dedicated alumni who have excelled in their own careers and now play an integral role in mentoring the next generation of advocates. Throughout the year, Pace Haub Law also hosts a range of advocacy competitions and symposia that bring together students, practitioners, and leaders in the field. This fall, the Law School will collaborate with New York County Defender Services to host a national voir dire competition, with the inaugural event focused on combating racial bias during jury selection.
Further strengthening the program, Pace Haub Law recently expanded its Advocacy Program leadership team with the appointment of Jared J. Hatcliffe, Esq., Senior Trial Counsel for the New York City Law Department, Office of Corporation Counsel, as Associate Director of Advocacy. A published author who has litigated hundreds of jury trials to verdict, Professor Hatcliffe brings extensive experience and a strong commitment to mentoring future trial lawyers.
These latest rankings underscore the Law School’s continued commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and impact.
The Land Use Law Center at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at ĢƵվ was recognized as Westchester County municipal leaders formally signed a new intermunicipal agreement reestablishing the Long Island Sound Watershed Intermunicipal Council (LISWIC), a coalition of 14 municipalities committed to advancing watershed protection, flood mitigation, and regional resilience.
The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at ĢƵվ hosted a sold-out 31st Annual Law Leadership Dinner on March 12, 2026, at Westchester Country Club, raising a record-breaking fundraising total of over $500,000 in support of the Law School’s academic programs, faculty scholarship, and student opportunities.
The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at ĢƵվ once again co-hosted the New Directions in Environmental Law (NDEL) Conference, held February 7, 2026, at Yale Law School. This year’s conference, themed “Collective Reimagining: Channeling Conviction into Change,” brought together scholars, practitioners, and students to explore emerging challenges and innovative approaches in environmental law.