FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — “Environmental Sustainability and Private Governance” is the subject of this year’s Arkansas Law Review symposium, which will feature panel discussions with nationally known experts and keynote addresses by Michael Vandenbergh, the David Daniels Allen Distinguished Chair of Law at Vanderbilt Law School, and Laura Phillips, senior vice president for sustainability at Walmart.

The symposium topic is particularly timely as environmental challenges grow more complex and the debate surrounding governmental regulation becomes more polarized.

The symposium will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, in the E.J. Ball Courtroom of the School of Law. The event is being sponsored by the Arkansas Law Review and the Office for Sustainability in the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, under the guidance of Sara Gosman, assistant professor of law, and Marty Matlock, executive director of the Office for Sustainability.

Fifteen guest scholars and practitioners will join Phillips and Vandenbergh, along with University of Arkansas faculty members to explore the private standards and initiatives used by businesses, non-profit and other non-governmental organizations to address environmental issues and promote sustainability.

U of A faculty members from the School of Law, College of Engineering and Sam M. Walton College of Business will be taking part in the panel discussions.

The symposium is worth up to 7.5 hours of continuing legal education credit, and the public is invited to attend. Admission is free and includes lunch for registrants. Register here to reserve your seat and lunch order.

Sessions, SPeakers, Moderators

8:30-8:45 a.m. — Welcome and Symposium Introduction by Stacy Leeds, dean of the School of Law, and Peter MacKeith, dean of the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design

8:45-10:15 a.m. — Panel I: Governance Themes

• Chisara Ehiemere, business director, Field to Market
• Josh Galperin, director of the Environmental Protection Clinic, lecturer in law and research scholar, Yale Law School
• Lee Paddock, associate dean and professorial lecturer in law, George Washington University Law School
• Cassie Phillips, director of the Private Environmental Governance Initiative, Environmental Law Institute
• Uché Ewelukwa Ofodile, moderator, E.J. Ball Professor of Law, University of Arkansas School of Law

10:15-10:30 a.m. — Break

10:30 a.m.-noon — Panel II: Energy and Climate Change

• Steve Chriss, director of energy and strategy analysis, Walmart
• Monika Ehrman, faculty director of the Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Center and associate professor of law, University of Oklahoma College of Law
• Alice Kaswan, professor and Dean’s Circle Scholar, University of San Francisco School of Law
• Tara Righetti, associate professor of law, University of Wyoming School of Law
• Sara Gosman, moderator, assistant professor, University of Arkansas School of Law

Noon-12:30 p.m. — Break

12:30-1:15 p.m. — Keynote Address: “Motivating Private Climate Governance: The Role of the Efficiency Gap,” by Michael Vandenbergh

1:15-1:45 p.m. — Keynote Address: “Leadership 2025: Creating Shared Value,” by Laura Phillips

1:45-2 p.m. — Break

2-3:30 p.m. — Panel III: Retail and Supply Chain Management

• Jenny Ahlen, director of supply chain, Environmental Defense Fund
• Brian Fugate, Oren Harris Chair in Transportation and associate professor, University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business
• Jeff Rice, vice president of responsible sourcing, Walmart
• Mark Spears, former director of sustainable business practices, Disney Consumer Products (retired)
• Jon Johnson, moderator, professor of management, University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business

3:30-3:45 p.m. — Break

3:45-5:15 p.m. — Panel IV: Agriculture and Food

• Peter Appel, Alex W. Smith Professor of Law, University of Georgia School of Law
• David Dana, associate dean for faculty affairs and Kirkland and Ellis Professor of Law, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
• Kevin Igli, senior vice president and chief environmental, health and safety officer, Tyson Foods Inc.
• Stephanie Tai, associate professor of law, University of Wisconsin Law School
• Greg Thoma, moderator, Bates Teaching Professor in Chemical Engineering, University of Arkansas College of Engineering

5:15-5:30 p.m. — Closing Remarks by the Arkansas Law Review Executive Committee

Visit the university parking map or the visitor parking guide for additional details. The university has four parking garages on campus that charge an hourly rate: Garland Avenue Parking Garage, Stadium Drive Parking Garage, Harmon Avenue Parking Garage and Meadow Street Parking Garage. The university parking map indicates the garage locations.

About the University of Arkansas School of Law: The University of Arkansas School of Law prepares students for success through a challenging curriculum taught by nationally recognized faculty, unique service opportunities and a close-knit community that puts students first. With alumni in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, two territories and more than 20 countries, it has been ranked among the top 10 "Best Values in Legal Education" by the National Jurist magazine for five consecutive years and is among the top 42 public law schools, according to U.S. News and World Report.

About the Office for Sustainability: The Office for Sustainability uses the campus as a living laboratory for innovation by overseeing the implementation of the University of Arkansas sustainability goals. The office convenes the community to share best practices and evaluate and recommend new programs and policies that strive to serve as replicable models. This is in an effort to inspire students and future leaders, as well as facilitate coordination of research initiatives to expand our knowledge of sustainability solutions.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.