Clinic Director Transition Announcement

It is with mixed emotions that we announce that Earthrise Clinic Director and Professor Allison LaPlante decided to leave Earthrise and Lewis & Clark Law School. Allison’s last day was May 31, 2024. She will continue to do some litigation as co-counsel with Earthrise attorneys but with fewer other obligations on her plate. We are unbelievably lucky to have had Allison serve as an attorney and clinical faculty member for almost 20 years, including seven years as the clinic’s director. She has mentored countless students, won cases big and small that have made our planet a better place, and has been a selfless and supportive colleague to all of us in the environmental program and law school. We will miss her presence on campus and in the clinic tremendously but we are looking forward to continuing to work closely with her on certain cases.

Lia Comerford, who has been an Earthrise staff attorney for almost 11 years and has been its managing attorney for the last two years, will serve as Acting Director of the clinic. Lia is a Lewis & Clark Law School alum and a talented litigator and mentor to our students. Tom Buchele and Kevin Cassidy will also continue to play important roles with Earthrise, as will Karen Russell, Alex Davis, and our two legal fellows–Lydia Dexter, who will be entering her second year as a fellow, and Zach Nacev, who will officially be coming aboard in August. And Dan Rohlf will continue to offer wise counsel and advice to the clinic.

We plan on having a party to celebrate Allison and her great work at the clinic and law school sometime in late summer or early fall. Please check back later in the summer for details.