Alumni update: David Marín Cortés leads environmental enforcement for the TPA

David Marín Cortés (LLM ’15) is the first Executive Director of the Secretariat for Environmental Enforcement Matters (SEEM) under the Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA) between the United States and Colombia. 

David has worked for more than 10 years on environmental law in both the private and public sectors, including at top-tier Colombian law firms and as an in house lawyer. In the public sector, David focused on policy and regulatory work engaging with a wide range of stakeholders. Before his current position, he practiced as a solo practitioner. He also lectured as an assistant professor of environmental law in several Colombian universities.

David is very interested in climate change law and is passionate about carbon pricing instruments. As part of his previous consulting work, he participated in the analysis and design of an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in Colombia.

David decided to complement his legal training and professional experience by completing an LLM in Environmental Law, Natural Resources Law, and Energy Law at Lewis & Clark Law School. He wanted to continue his legal education by studying US Environmental Law at a top-ranked law school. Attending Lewis & Clark offered David a compelling, challenging, and enriching education experience, carried out in the friendly, quirky and environmentally conscious city of Portland.

During his LLM, David focused on International Environmental Law, participating in the International Environmental Law Project (IELP) at Lewis & Clark,  and undertaking an internship at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) in Washington D.C.

He feels certain that the valuable academic and practical experience he gained through his LLM at Lewis & Clark greatly enhanced his career prospects and led him on his international career path. 

Now in his role with SEEM, David looks forward to continuing his strong relationship with the US legal sector. He is honored and thrilled to publicize the SEEM, and foster awareness of the public submission mechanism as a tool to promote transparency, access to information and public participation, as well as to enhance the effective enforcement of domestic environmental laws.