Professor Richard L. Ottinger
Professor Richard L. Ottinger is Dean Emeritus of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. He served in the United States House of Representatives for eight terms, from 1965 to 1971 and from 1975 to 1984, and went to the Elisabeth Haub School of Law when he retired from Congress. As a professor he taught in the environmental law program from 1984-94, and he served as Dean from 1994-99.
During his term as Dean, he raised funds for the construction of a new modern classroom building, which was later dedicated as Richard Ottinger Hall in 2013. He also was responsible for bringing to Pace the New York State Judicial Training Institute. As Dean, he established the Law School Board of Advisors, the annual fundraising dinner, and the Practice program. Dean Emeritus Ottinger is co-director of the Pace Global Center for Environmental Legal Studies. He founded the Pace Energy & Climate Center, which advocates for climate change mitigation and promotion of clean energy resources. In his 16 years as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, he authored a substantial body of energy and environmental laws.
He was one of the earliest environmentalists in Congress in 1965. As chairman of the Energy Conservation and Power Subcommittee of the Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee, he was instrumental in adopting key energy and environmental legislation. Dean Emeritus Ottinger was a founding staff member of the Peace Corps, serving it during 1961-1964.
Currently, Dean Emeritus Ottinger continues to advise JD, LLM, and SJD students and involve them in national and international environmental and energy efficiency and renewable energy research and presentations. He also works with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Academy of Environmental Law to encourage their members to advocate phasing out fossil fuels and terminating fossil fuel subsidies. Recently, he was appointed as a member of the IUCN’s Climate Crisis Commission.
Honors & Awards:
Founder and Chair Emeritus, Environmental and Energy Study Institute
Founding Board Member of Friends of the Earth
Editor-in-Chief, UNEP Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Laws
Award for Distinguished Achievement in Environmental Law and Policy, American Bar Association Section on Environment, Energy and Resources, 1974
Education:
BA, Cornell University
LLB, Harvard Law School