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Getting to Know Professor Elaine Tornés-Blanco

Emily Battaglia — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 19:44:56 +0000

Getting to Know Professor Elaine Tornés-Blanco Emily Battaglia Tue, 06/30/2026 - 13:44

This August, Elaine Tornés-Blanco will join the William A. Wise Law Library as the Collection Services and Research Librarian. Most recently, she served as a Librarian Assistant Professor at the University of Miami School of Law, where she taught legal research and provided reference support. Her work there also included growing involvement in collection development and acquisitions.

Prior to her role at Miami, Professor Tornés-Blanco was the Law Library Fellow (2022-2023) at the William A. Wise Law Library. Her professional experience also includes serving as a librarian at the University of Puerto Rico’s Business Administration Library.

Professor Tornés-Blanco holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology (magna cum laude) from the University of Puerto Rico, a Juris Doctor (cum laude) from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico School of Law, where she published in Revista de Estudios Críticos del Derecho (CLAVE), and a Master of Information Science. Her scholarship and creative work include legal writing, poetry, and children’s literature.

Professor Tornés-Blanco is active in the law librarianship profession, serving as Chair of the Latinx Law Librarians Caucus of the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL), and as a co-author of a chapter in Exploring Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Academic Law Librarianship. Her professional interests include collection strategy, access to legal information, American Indian law, copyright, law and literature, and Foreign, Comparative, and International Law (FCIL), with a focus on supporting faculty research, student learning, and clinical programs.

Learn more about Professor Tornés-Blanco in the Q&A below:

What excites you most about life in Colorado?

ETB: I enjoy spending time with family, being outdoors, and working alongside colleagues at one of the country’s top public institutions. Colorado’s natural beauty and sense of community make it a wonderful place to live and work. I’m also especially excited about being part of the Wise Law Library. The William A. Wise Law Library is not only an important resource for the law school, but also for the broader legal community throughout Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region. Its role as a publicly accessible, full-service law library and federal government repository reflects a strong commitment to public access to legal information, which is something I value deeply.

Can you share a bit about any current projects you are working on?

ETB: I’m currently involved with the Latinx Caucus’s Interactive Map of Partnerships project. The goal of the project is to help law libraries reconnect with and develop relationships with organizations that serve Latino communities across the country, with a focus on outreach, collaboration, and access to information. The project builds on earlier work connected to the American Bar Foundation’s “Future of Latinos in the United States: Law, Mobility, and Opportunity” initiative. A large part of the work involves research and information gathering, which aligns closely with the skills librarians use every day. Volunteers help identify organizations through advanced research methods, organizational directories, nonprofit databases, government resources, and other materials that may not appear in a simple web search. We also work on organizing and updating information so it can eventually be incorporated into a larger interactive map. What I appreciate most about the project is its collaborative nature. I hope to involve colleagues from different institutions and regions so we can share strategies, divide the work, and build a stronger and more useful resource together.

What is your proudest career accomplishment so far?

ETB: One of the most meaningful parts of my career has been hearing from students who tell me they are using the legal research skills they learned in my classes during internships, externships, and other professional experiences. It is rewarding to know that the work we do in the classroom helps students feel more confident and prepared in practice. I’m also proud to have been elected chair of the Latinx Caucus. That opportunity has allowed me to work with colleagues across the profession on projects related to outreach, representation, and professional development.

What inspired you to pursue a legal career?

ETB: I have always enjoyed reading and writing, so pursuing a career connected to the law felt like a natural fit. Over time, I became especially interested in the role legal information plays in helping people understand their rights and make informed decisions. What drew me to law librarianship in particular was the opportunity to combine research, teaching, and public service. Legal information can have a real impact on people’s lives, and law librarians play an important role in helping students, attorneys, and communities access reliable information. I enjoy being part of a profession that focuses on problem-solving, education, and supporting the legal system in a practical way.

Can you share more about your literary work? How have you balanced this kind of writing with your career as a law librarian?

ETB: Writing has always been an important creative outlet for me. So far, I have completed around 52 short fiction stories covering a wide variety of topics, including politics, economics, and social issues, and I hope to publish them in the future. Balancing creative writing with my work as a law librarian mainly comes down to discipline and consistency. When I’m focused on a writing project, I set aside dedicated time to work on it regularly, even if it is just an hour each day. I also try to maintain a routine so I always know where I want to continue the next time I sit down to write. Fortunately, I find that my work as a law librarian and my writing complement each other well. Both involve research, observation, analysis, and storytelling in different ways. Many of the experiences and ideas I encounter professionally inspire my creative work, so the two pursuits often strengthen one another rather than compete for my attention.

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Four New Faculty Join Colorado Law

Emily Battaglia — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 19:06:35 +0000

Four New Faculty Join Colorado Law Emily Battaglia Tue, 06/30/2026 - 13:06

Lolita Buckner Inniss, Dean and Provost’s Professor of Law, announced the appointment of four professors to Colorado Law’s full-time faculty: Ilan Friedmann-Grunstein, Justin Murray, Zachary Schmook, and Elaine Tornés-Blanco.

“We are delighted to welcome these four distinguished scholars and educators to our faculty this fall," said Dean Inniss. "Each brings to Colorado Law a remarkable depth of expertise, compelling research agendas, and a steadfast commitment to developing the next generation of legal leaders."

Meet Colorado Law’s newest professors:

Ilan Friedmann-Grunstein - Associate Professor of Clinical Law (Criminal Defense Clinic)

Prior to joining Colorado Law, Ilan Friedmann-Grunstein served as a Deputy Public Defender with the Colorado Office of the State Public Defender in Colorado Springs. He has spent his entire career advocating for indigent clients facing criminal charges. Previously, Professor Friedmann-Grunstein served as an Assistant Public Defender with the Maryland Office of the Public Defender and with the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office where he began his career. He has represented clients facing a variety of charges ranging from traffic offenses to homicides and has tried over two dozen cases.

Additionally, Professor Friedmann-Grunstein spent two years at The George Washington University Law School as a Friedman Fellow. During his fellowship, Professor Friedmann-Grunstein helped launch and co-taught the Criminal Defense and Justice Clinic where he supervised students representing indigent clients facing misdemeanor charges in D.C. Superior Court.

Professor Friedmann-Grunstein earned his Bachelor’s degree at Washington University in St. Louis and his Juris Doctor at Berkeley Law.

Justin Murray - Associate Professor

Justin Murray joined New York Law School in 2019. He teaches or has taught criminal law, criminal procedure, constitutional law, and race, bias, and advocacy. He also co-directed NYLS's Criminal Justice Institute.

Professor Murray's scholarship focuses on prosecutorial institutions and decision making, and on strategies for preventing and penalizing illegal conduct on the part of prosecutors and other criminal justice actors. His academic work has been published in a number of law journals, including the Harvard Law Review, the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, the Virginia Law Review, and the Washington University Law Review. His scholarship has been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court and by judges on other courts, and he received the Otto Walter Award for best article by a full-time faculty member from the NYLS faculty for his 2021 article, "Policing Procedural Error in the Lower Criminal Courts."

Professor Murray has served as Chair of the Association of American Law Schools Criminal Procedure Section and remains a member of the Section's executive committee. He is a Special Editor for the Journal of Legal Education, a contributing editor for Crimprofs Blog, a member of the Advisory Board for Criminal Law an-d Criminal Justice Books, and a member of the planning committee for the Decarceration Law Professors group, among other institutional and service roles.

Professor Murray began his career as a clerk on the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. After that, he spent four years as an appellate lawyer at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, followed by a year at the Consumer Fraud Bureau of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. He then left legal practice to serve as a Climenko Fellow and Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School, where he taught legal research and writing, before joining NYLS’s faculty.

Zachary Schmook - Associate Teaching Professor, Legal Writing

Zachary Schmook joins Colorado Law from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, where he served on the legal writing faculty since 2017.

Prior to joining the University of Oklahoma, Professor Schmook worked for a nonprofit in St. Louis, Missouri, dedicated to ending housing discrimination. He represented both the nonprofit and individual clients before state and federal trial and appellate courts, as well as in administrative actions before the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and state administrative agencies.

Professor Schmook has also previously worked with Washington University School of Law as a Clinical Supervisor for the Civil Rights and Community Justice Clinic and as an Adjunct Professor teaching mediation and legal writing courses.

Professor Schmook received his J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland. In addition to his academic and legal practice experience, he serves as a Civil Affairs Officer in the United States Army Reserve, where his work focuses on supporting coordination between military and civilian institutions in complex environments.

Elaine Tornés-Blanco - Assistant Teaching Professor, Collection Services and Research Librarian

Elaine Tornés-Blanco will join the William A. Wise Law Library at the University of Colorado Law School as the Collection Services and Research Librarian. Most recently, she served as a Librarian Assistant Professor at the University of Miami School of Law, where she taught legal research and provided reference support. Her work there also included growing involvement in collection development and acquisitions.

Prior to her role at Miami, she was the Law Library Fellow (2022-2023) at the William A. Wise Law Library. Her professional experience also includes serving as a librarian at the University of Puerto Rico’s Business Administration Library.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology (magna cum laude) from the University of Puerto Rico, a Juris Doctor (cum laude) from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico School of Law, where she published in Revista de Estudios Críticos del Derecho (CLAVE), and a Master of Information Science.

Her scholarship and creative work include legal writing, poetry, and children’s literature. She is the author of Adventures of Human and Non-Human Beings: Children’s Stories of Childhood in Defense of Animals (also available in Spanish and Braille), and her work has appeared in literary anthologies.

She is active in the law librarianship profession, serving as Chair of the Latinx Law Librarians Caucus of the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL), and as a co-author of a chapter in Exploring Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Academic Law Librarianship. Her professional interests include collection strategy, access to legal information, American Indian law, copyright, law and literature, and Foreign, Comparative, and International Law (FCIL), with a focus on supporting faculty research, student learning, and clinical programs.

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Getting to Know Professor Zack Schmook

Emily Battaglia — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 21:50:13 +0000

Getting to Know Professor Zack Schmook Emily Battaglia Wed, 06/24/2026 - 15:50

This August, Professor Zachary Schmook will join Colorado Law as an Associate Teaching Professor. Schmook has been with the University of Oklahoma College of Law faculty since Fall 2017 as an Assistant Professor in the Legal Research & Writing Program.

Prior to joining the College of Law, Professor Schmook worked for a nonprofit dedicated to ending housing discrimination in St. Louis, Missouri. His work included representation of the organization and individual clients before state and federal trial and appellate courts, as well as in administrative actions with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and state administrative agencies.

Professor Schmook has previously worked with the Washington University College of Law as an Adjunct Professor—teaching courses in Legal Writing and Mediation—and a Clinical Supervisor for the Civil Rights and Community Justice Clinic.

Professor Schmook received his J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis and is admitted to practice law in Oklahoma, Missouri (inactive), Illinois (inactive). In addition to his work at OU, Professor Schmook serves in the U.S. Army Reserve as a Civil Affairs Officer. Learn more about Professor Schmook in the Q&A below!

What excites you most about life in Colorado?

ZS: I'm most excited about the chance to spend time outdoors. My family and I love hiking, skiing, biking, and climbing, and Colorado offers so many opportunities to incorporate those activities into everyday life. My oldest child is a nationally ranked competitive boulderer and speed climber, so we have already spent a lot of time in the ��ý�� area over the last few years for competitions and training events. It is exciting to move to a place where the activities we love are such a natural part of the community.

What inspired you to pursue a career in the legal field?

ZS: I started college at the University of Maryland as a chemical engineering major, but even before finishing my freshman year, I realized that wasn’t the right fit. I changed majors, eventually graduating with a degree in agricultural and resource economics. From there, I went straight to law school at Washington University in St. Louis, thinking I might pursue environmental or land use law. After my first year of law school, though, I interned with a land use clinic in South Africa, and I discovered that I really valued helping people navigate difficult problems in their lives. That led me to a civil rights organization in St. Louis, where I represented people facing housing discrimination and landlord-tenant issues. Over time, that same interest in helping people understand and use the law led me to teaching legal writing.

What is your proudest career accomplishment so far?

ZS: One of my proudest accomplishments is preserving the right to jury trials in eviction proceedings in a case I argued before the Missouri Supreme Court. The case began when I was practicing in St. Louis, and I lost at the trial level after the court denied my client's request for a jury trial. After I started teaching in Oklahoma, I continued to participate in the appeals process. I returned to present oral argument before the Missouri Supreme Court, where a unanimous court remanded with instructions to allow trial by jury.

It was an important win because eviction proceedings can have life-changing consequences. The right to a jury trial gives people a meaningful opportunity to be heard before losing their home.

Can you share more about your work as an Army Reserve officer?

ZS: I serve in the Army Reserve as a Civil Affairs officer, which means working at the intersection of military operations and civilian communities. In practical terms, Civil Affairs helps military leaders understand the civilian environment around them: local governments, public institutions, infrastructure, community needs, and the relationships that shape whether a mission succeeds. Some of that work is about connecting military operations with civilian communities and institutions. My work has often drawn on my civilian professional experience to analyze how legal systems affect stability and civilian life.

That experience has influenced how I think about legal education. Civil Affairs work often requires making sense of unfamiliar systems by listening carefully to people with very different perspectives. It also requires translating complicated information into something useful for decision-makers. Those habits carry over directly into legal writing. Lawyers also have to understand systems and work across institutional and cultural boundaries to communicate clearly about complicated situations.

How has the widespread uptake of AI in the legal profession impacted your work teaching legal writing?

ZS: Generative AI has made legal writing more important, not less. It can generate text quickly, summarize information, and help with certain parts of the drafting process. But it can't replace a lawyer's professional responsibility. Students still need to read carefully and verify that the work is legally grounded and useful to the client.

Storytelling may become even more important in the AI age. As more technical tasks become easier to automate, human skills like communication and empathy become more valuable. Storytelling matters because it is how we make information meaningful to other people.

That connects directly to legal writing. Lawyers don't just produce documents. They explain what happened, why it matters, and what should happen next. Whether students are writing a memo or a motion, they still have to make careful choices based on the reader’s needs. So I teach AI as a tool. The goal is to communicate with purpose rather than simply to produce more words faster.

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ICYMI: Faculty Publications, Media Mentions, Faculty & Staff Activities

Emily Battaglia — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 19:27:39 +0000

ICYMI: Faculty Publications, Media Mentions, Faculty & Staff Activities Emily Battaglia Tue, 06/23/2026 - 13:27

Faculty Publications

Sarah Matsumoto (with Laurie Jamile Beyranevand, et al.), Blue Sky Thinking in a Red Sky World, 56 Env't L. Rep. 10251 (May 2026)(Matsumoto authored section VIII. "MAHA and Ingroups of the New Right").

Prof. Emeritus Richard Collins, Advocacy Matters, 14 Am. Indian L. J. 306 (2026).

Media Mentions

[Chris Winter, GWC], Caroline Llanes, The Colorado River is at a Tipping Point, as States, Feds, Look for a Way Forward, Aspen Public Radio (June 9, 2026).

Bobby Magill, Trump's Fishing Proclamation Tests His Antiquities Acts Powers, Bloomberg Law (June 12, 2026).

[Mark Squillace], Christine Peterson, Do Chain Saws Belong in Designated Wilderness?, High Country News (June 15, 2026).

Bobby Magill, Alaska Arctic Oil Leases Challenged by Litigation, Low Interest, Bloomberg Law (June 9, 2026).

[Doug Spencer], John Aguilar, In Colorado Attorney General's Race, Jena Griswold's Experience and Prominence Have Made Her a Target, Denver Post (June 4, 2026).

John Sharp, Inconsistent: Supreme Court Ignores its Own 20-Year-Old Rule in Alabama Redistricting Case, AL.com (June 7, 2026)(featured in Election Law Blog).

John Aguilar, Who's Running for Colorado Attorney General? A Look at the Democratic and Republican Primary Candidates, Denver Post (June 12, 2026).

[Wadie Said], Sarah Matusek, Terrorism Related Charges are a New Tool to Pursue Illegal Arms Flow to Mexico, Christian Science Monitor (June 9, 2026).

[Blake Reid], Louise Newstead, Fast-Tracked Separation of Powers Bill Meets Mixed Response, World Trademark Review (June 11, 2026).

[Ann Lipton], Jarek Rutz, WWE Merger Trial to Test McMahon's Grip on Sale Process, Law360 (June 5, 2026).

Drew Hutchinson, Shareholders Oppose Anthropic, OpenAI Following SpaceX to Texas, Bloomberg Law (June 10, 2026).

SpaceX IPO Limits Investors' Rights: Legal Expert, Bloomberg (June 11, 2026)(video interview)

John Kilhefner, SpaceX IPO: The Grok Failure That Made Anthropic's $15 Billion Deal Possible, MarketWise (June 12, 2026).

Max Chafkin, SpaceX IPO Shows Wall Street Still Can't Get Enough of Elon Musk, Bloomberg Law (June 13, 2026).

Mike Littwin, One Question Newly Minted Trillionaire Elon Musk Can't Answer: How Much is Too Much?, Colorado Sun (June 14, 2026).

Martina Barash, Supreme Court Ruling Leaves Closed-End Funds in Calmer Waters, Bloomberg Law (June 15, 2026).

Michael Hiltzik, Small Investors Have Powered SpaceX Higher, But They'll Shoulder Much of the Risk When Reality Bites, Los Angeles Times (June 16, 2026).

Michael Steinberger, Elon Musk's Feud With Delaware May Transform Corporate America, NY Times (June 17, 2026).

Tom Carter, Better Off Together? Investors Weigh a Potential SpaceX-Tesla Merger, Business Insider (June 18, 2026).

[Dean Inniss], Christine Charnosky, Law Deans Stand Up For Protecting the Rule of Law in the Legal Profession, Law.com (June 8, 2026).

Julianne Hill, 88 Law School Deans Unite to Support Professional Independence, ABA Law Journal (June 4, 2026).

[Getches-Wilkinson Center Conference & Reports], The Colorado River is in Crisis- These Experts Met to Discuss What's Next, KGNU Morning Magazine (June 11, 2026).

Heather Sackett, Feds Say New Colorado River Plan Will Be Short-Term, Aspen Journalism (June 5, 2026).

Scott Franz, It's Not All Doom and Gloom, and 4 Other Things We Learned at CU ��ý��'s Colorado River Gathering, KUNC (June 5, 2026).

Ben Winslow, The Feds Make an Offer to States on the Colorado River, Fox13 (June 5, 2026).

Brandon Loomis, Colorado River States Suggest Mediation as Water Supplies Crisis Looms, Arizona Republic (June 6, 2026).

Ishan Thakore, Colorado and Nevada Negotiators Throw Cold Water on Parts of Federal Plan to Manage Colorado River, CPR (June 5, 2026).

Ben Winslow, Colorado River Basin Sliding Toward System-Wide Crash, New Study Warns, KSTU (June 4, 2026).

Marianne Goodland, The Hidden Story Behind Lake Powell's Low Water Levels Reveals a Canyon Coming Back to Life, Denver Gazette (June 4, 2026).

Faculty & Staff Activities

Paige Wilson & Matt Schmit, Startup Variety Show, Silicon Flatirons Center (June 16, 2026).

Mark Squillace, "National Monuments, Public Lands, & Presidential Power," Lawyer2Lawyer podcast (June 5, 2026).

[Nadav Orian Peer & Rabea Benhalim], Tenure List: June 2026, CU Connections (June 11, 2026).

[Amanda Parsons], Conor Clarke, Junior Tax 2026 Concludes at Seattle University, TaxProf Blog (June 16, 2026)(presenting "Taxing the Oligarchs").

[Doug Kenney, GWC], Allen Best, Behind the Curtain Politics of a Colorado River Conference, Big Pivots (June 7, 2026).

Ann Lipton, Business Law Prof Blog posts available here.

Closed-End Funds at the US Supreme Court (June 18, 2026), Shareholder Primacy (with Mike Levin, Apple podcasts link).

[Dean Inniss], University of Colorado Law Dean Inniss Says What Courts Leave Unsaid Has Meaning Consequences, University of Houston Law Center (June 15, 2026)(coverage of colloquium presentation on “Race, Silence, and Selective Law: Madison Jeffers and the Architecture of United States Legal Silence").

Paul Campos, Lawyers, Guns, & Money, blog posts available here.

Widely recognized for its intellectual diversity and originality, the faculty at Colorado Law encompasses an array of prominent legal scholars who are widely cited, both in academia and throughout the national media landscape. We invite you to catch up on the latest faculty publications and media mentions with this weekly roundup.

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Michael Smith Earns Outstanding OUTLaw Student Award

Kellen Wilson — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 16:38:15 +0000

Michael Smith Earns Outstanding OUTLaw Student Award Kellen Wilson Mon, 06/22/2026 - 10:38

OUTLaw President Caleb Kirk, left, presents the award to Michael Smith.

Now he’s making his own contributions in Colorado as a 2026 law school graduate and recipient of the Outstanding OUTLaw Student Award.

OUTLaw provides professional, social and academic support for LGBTQ+ law students and allies while uplifting, celebrating and protecting diverse identities in the legal field.

Smith said winning the award, presented by club President Caleb Kirk in April 2026, was an emotional moment.

“The LGBTQ+ legal community in Colorado and at CU Law is something truly special,” he said. “OUTLaw is one of the biggest clubs on campus, and the sense of pride I felt at CU was unlike anything I experienced at any other school. I just hope I can do all my fellow OUTLaws proud in my legal career.”

As we recognize Pride Month in June, learn more about Michael, his path to law school and his advice for students:

Can you tell us more about your experience prior to law school?

My journey to law school was unique and difficult. I graduated with a degree in political science in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and, with few professional opportunities available, spent two years working in the service industry, flipping hamburgers and scrubbing fryers, while studying for the LSAT and searching for political jobs.

That experience left me deeply committed to two things in my future career: (1) advocating for and improving our democratic electoral systems at the local, state, and federal levels, and (2) mentorship, particularly for individuals who have to take a gap year before law school. (Shoutout to the Colorado LGBTQ+ Bar Association's mentorship program!)

Why did you decide to get involved with OUTLaw as a student, and what did you enjoy most?

I have always been somewhat closeted about my bisexuality and queerness prior to law school. The ability to unashamedly show up every day was something new. I'm never going back. OUTLaw made that possible.

What will you miss most about Colorado Law?

The people. Full stop. Law school is hard — there is really no way around it — but the people are what make it so enjoyable and meaningful. The professors and peers I've met here are lifelong connections that will stay with me throughout my career and beyond.

Now that you’ve graduated, what’s next?

First things first: taking and passing the bar (fingers crossed)! After that, I will be clerking at the Denver District Court and Colorado Court of Appeals.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your time at Colorado Law?

Take every class you possibly can with Professor Scott Skinner-Thompson. His scholarship and courses center largely on LGBTQ+ topics, and he brings a rare combination of thoughtfulness and humor to everything he does. He always made me feel comfortable being fully "me" at CU Law.

Michael Smith (’26) grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but he says generations of family ties to Colorado drew him back for “an elite legal education while continuing my family’s contribution to this great state.” Now he’s making his own contributions in Colorado as a 2026 law school graduate and recipient of the Outstanding OUTLaw Student Award.

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Prof. Sarah Matsumoto Presents Research at Pan-Pacific Sustainability Scholars Workshop

Emily Battaglia — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 16:45:44 +0000

Prof. Sarah Matsumoto Presents Research at Pan-Pacific Sustainability Scholars Workshop Emily Battaglia Tue, 06/02/2026 - 10:45

From, May 4-5, Professor Sarah Matsumoto, Director of the Getches-Green Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law Clinic attended the second annual Pan-Pacific sustainability Scholars workshop held at The University of Sydney Law School in Sydney, Australia. While there, Matsumoto had the opportunity to present an early draft of her paper examining the concept of "just transition" and state efforts to facilitate that transition.

“In the context of climate change policy and shifting to more renewable and sustainable forms of energy, a "just transition" is one that is fair, inclusive, and seeks to ensure that workers and communities who will be most affected by the shift are not left behind,” Matsumoto explained. “For example, towns whose economies heavily depended on coal mining or coal-fired power generation will be significantly impacted by closing mines and decommissioning those plants, so having a long-term transition plan in place that includes new economic opportunities for workers will be critical.”

Matsumoto shared that a handful of states already have dedicated offices or agencies aimed at supporting a just transition—Colorado being one of the first in the country. Her paper compares the current state offices/agencies and examines their various functions. In addition, it explores how these offices might be impacted by the federal government's stated goal of "energy dominance" and recent orders to keep coal plants operational even when they've been slated to retire.

Some of the fews Professor Matsumoto enjoyed during her time in Australia.

“I am very grateful for the feedback and suggestions I received [for my paper],” Matsumoto said. “Other attendees offered ideas of articles and literature I might read and include in the paper, or ways to organize or frame my arguments that could make the paper more compelling.”

Not only did they provide vital feedback to fellow scholars, workshop attendees shared research about projects in Australia, Japan, Pakistan, China, New Zealand, and the Philippines, among other countries, offering innovative, practical, and inspiring ideas for those at the event. One major takeaway Matsumoto shared was that while the scope of a problem like climate change is large, it creates opportunities for interdisciplinary work and creative thinking across many fields.

Beyond the conference itself, Matsumoto’s time in Australia was rich with culture and nature. Highlights included an Indigenous-led tour of a local island exploring Gadigal traditions, runs through the Royal Botanical Garden, and a play and film at the Sydney Opera House. She was even able to partake in an introductory dive at the Great Barrier Reef, an experience that served as a firsthand reminder of exactly what is at stake in the work she and her fellow scholars are dedicated to protecting.

Professor Sarah Matsumoto, Director of the Getches-Green Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law Clinic attended the second annual Pan-Pacific sustainability Scholars workshop held at The University of Sydney Law School in Sydney, Australia. While there, Matsumoto had the opportunity to present an early draft of her paper examining the concept of "just transition" and state efforts to facilitate that transition.

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ICYMI: Faculty Publications, Media Mentions, and Faculty & Staff Activities

Emily Battaglia — Tue, 26 May 2026 16:19:14 +0000

ICYMI: Faculty Publications, Media Mentions, and Faculty & Staff Activities Emily Battaglia Tue, 05/26/2026 - 10:19

Faculty Publications

Jonathan Skinner-Thompson, Air Permit Adjudications (SSRN.com, 78 U.C. L. J.).

Blake Reid, Separation of Copyright Powers,49 Seattle Univ. L. Rev. Online 269, 16 Seattle J. Tech., Env’t & Innovation L. 374 (2026).

Nolwenn Buhler, Diane Tober, & Jennifer Hendricks, Genetics, Epigenetics, and Genomes in Collaborative Reproduction, in Exploring Reproduction: Anthropological Perspectives (Maya Unnithan et al eds., 2026).

Deep Gulasekaram, Foreword to the 2025 Ira C. Rothgerber Jr. Conference: Immigration & National Borders, 97 U. Colo. L. Rev. 885 (2026).

Justin Deystone, Law & Political Economy, or Legal Theory & Capitalism?, LPE Project (May 14, 2026)(featuring Law and Contemporary Problems publications including Foreword Part 1 (with Jedediah Britton-Purdy), 88 Law and Contemporary Problems i (2025); Foreword Part 2 (with Jedediah Britton-Purdy), 88 Law & Contemp. Probs. i (2026); & Law as a Form of Life: On Capitalism and Critical Theory, 88 Law & Contemp. Probs. 137 (2026)).

Media Mentions

[Mark Squillace], Julia Jacobo, Water Supplies Along Colorado River Basin in Peril, Experts Say, ABC News (May 20, 2026).

[Doug Spencer], Joedy McCreary, The Same Dark Money Groups Keep Turning Up in Redistricting Fights, Open Secrets.org (May 13, 2026).

[Scott Skinner-Thompson], Karen Raforth, Outsources, KGNU News (May 11, 2026).

John Ingold, 30 Years Ago, A Landmark Supreme Court Decision Bolstered LGBTQ+ Rights-- And Changed Colorado's "Hate State" Reputation, Colorado Sun (May 20, 2026).

[Ann Lipton], Paul Cobler, Companies Moving Their Legal Homes to Texas is Good PR, but don't Expect Many New Jobs, Texas Tribune (May 12, 2026).

Craig Anderson, The Ben & Jerry's and Unilever Governance Fallout and Lessons for M&A Lawyers, Daily Journal (May 17, 2026)(reprints include Los Angeles Times).

Adrienne Roberts, What a Court Filing Reveals About U-M's $20 Million OpenAI Bet, Detroit Free Press (May 17, 2026)(reprints include USA Today).

Sean O'Kane, How Elon Musk Will Increase His Power Through the SpaceX IPO, TechCrunch (May 21, 2026).

Becky Peterson, Musk Set to Keep Firm Control of SpaceX After It Goes Public, Wall Street Journal (May 22, 2026)(Register for your free WSJ account using your CU email by following the directions here).

[Anne Castle, GWC], Ian James, A Dire 'Math Problem' on the Colorado River and Wholly Inaccurate Responses, LA Times (May 14, 2026).

[Jonathon Booth], Seth Klamann, Nick Coltrain, & Sam Tabachnik, Gov. Jared Polis Reduces Tina Peters' Sentence, Says She Will be Released June 1, Denver Post (May 15, 2026).

Faculty and Staff Activities

GWC's Chris Winter, Doug Kenney, Anne Castle, & Daniel Anderson(speakers), GWC Conference on the Colorado River (upcoming, June 4-5, 2026).

Harry Surden (speaker) Improving Reliability in Legal Artificial Intelligence, LLM X Law Conference: Trusting AI in High-Stakes Legal Domain (upcoming, Cambridge, June 27, 2026).

Ann Lipton, Business Law Prof Blog posts available here.

Jeff Mahoney, Council of Institutional Investors (May 20, 2026), Shareholder Primacy (with Mike Levin, Apple podcasts link).

Lakshman Guruswamy (presenter), The Demise of International Treaties: The Future of Sustainable Development & Environmental Governance, SRP Sustainability Conference of American Legal Educators (Phoenix, May 15, 2026).

Paul Campos, Lawyers, Guns, & Money, blog posts available here.

[Frederic Bloom], Five CU Faculty Join Ranks of President's Teaching Scholars, CU Connections (May 14, 2026).

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Celebrating the Class of 2026

Emily Battaglia — Fri, 22 May 2026 16:09:21 +0000

Celebrating the Class of 2026 Emily Battaglia Fri, 05/22/2026 - 10:09

On Friday, May 8, graduates gathered with faculty, family, and dear friends for the 131st commencement ceremony honoring the Colorado Law class of 2026.

Watch the full ceremony.

After the procession concluded, Colorado Law Dean Lolita Buckner Inniss took the podium to recognize graduates and provide her opening remarks. Dean Inniss touched upon themes of agility, engagement, and resilience– encouraging students to let these words guide them as they head out into the world and write their own stories.

Dean Inniss reflected on the legal landscape students are entering, and while it is not an easy one, she reminded students that “...no matter how daunting the obstacles, do the work, because the goal is worthy.”

Dean Inniss concluded her remarks with a land acknowledgement, then welcomed Doug Good Feather to the stage to perform a powerful honor song.

Doug Good Feather

This was followed by welcoming remarks in Spanish given by Prof. Violeta Chapin.

Next, Prof. Blake Reid ’10 had the honor of both recognizing the top fifteen percent of the class as members of the Order of the Coif and presenting this year's recipient of the Honorary Order of the Coif, Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Monica Márquez. Márquez spoke directly to graduates, sharing: “Today you all walk away armed with a degree and education that no one can take from you; and my hope and wish for you is that you use these gifts to make the world a better place-- doing that is going to require courage. Our profession needs you, our democracy needs you, so show up.”

Chief Justice Monica Márquez

Class Treasurer Helen Boone took the stage next, followed by Class Vice President Gabriel Lenz, who remarked: “I am beyond thankful for this wonderful community that has and continues to flourish and uplift each of us. I know every one of us is walking away with a fire forever ignited by CU’s law students, faculty and staff, may it burn brightly forever.”

Class President Mary Elizabeth Barrow followed, reminding fellow graduates that “...the law is not a destination, it's a practice, you never stop getting better or refining or reaching for what justice looks like..today, for us, that practice begins.”

LLM Class Representative Ece Gülerman spoke to attendees next, imploring, “Graduation invites celebration, but it also asks something of us: what kind of lawyers will we be? What kind of judgment will we bring to the world? Whatever path we take next, I hope we carry a sense of responsibility with us.”

LLM Class President Ece Gülerman

Cristal Mendoza then spoke on behalf of the MSL class, sharing more about the study of ethics and compliance and the role compliance professionals play in the legal field. She concluded her remarks, stating: “Graduates: we embarked on this journey with a purpose and now leave to become leaders-- we will become the change we want to see in the world.”

Class Secretary Miles McLendon then introduced Keynote Speaker, Professor Helen Norton.

Norton’s compelling remarks touched upon the world our graduates are facing, pondering the question: How do we live and work bravely in a time of uncertainty and challenge?”

Professor Helen Norton

Norton noted that while we cannot control the future, “...we can control our effort, patience and compassion. Sometimes the external world delivers us setbacks...we should anticipate this, and each setback is a reminder to hope, reengage, and start anew”

Assistant Dean of Student Services Emily Horowitz announced the hooding of the graduates, and each of the students triumphantly walked across the stage. Law Alumni Board member Marco Chayet ’97 then welcomed the class to Colorado Law's extraordinary alumni community. As the program drew to a close, Dean Inniss recited the traditional Sears Charge and the audience gave final wave of congratulatory applause. Then, attendees headed back to the Wolf Law Building to celebrate at the reception, with a recessional led by Denver-based band, Brothers of Brass.

On Friday, May 8, graduates gathered with faculty, family, and dear friends for the 131st commencement ceremony honoring the Colorado Law class of 2026.

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Getting to Know Professor Justin Murray

Emily Battaglia — Tue, 12 May 2026 19:07:24 +0000

Getting to Know Professor Justin Murray Emily Battaglia Tue, 05/12/2026 - 13:07

In August, Professor Justin Murray will join the Colorado Law Faculty as Associate Professor. Prior to joining Colorado Law, Professor Murray served on the faculty of New York Law School since 2019. He teaches or has taught criminal law, criminal procedure, constitutional law, and race, bias, and advocacy. He also co-directed NYLS's Criminal Justice Institute.

Professor Murray has served as Chair of the Association of American Law Schools Criminal Procedure Section and remains a member of the Section's executive committee. He is a Special Editor for the Journal of Legal Education, a member of the Advisory Board for Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Books, and a member of the planning committee for the Decarceration Law Professors group, among other institutional and service roles.

Learn more about Professor Murray, his work, and career accomplishments in the Q&A below.

What excites you most about life in Colorado?

JM: ��ý�� is my hometown. In fact, my mother went to CU for law school, and my earliest and most treasured memories took place on and around this very campus. The natural beauty, the arts and culture scene, and above all the fun and quirky people who live here -- all of these make ��ý�� a wonderful place to live and learn.

What drew you to pursue a legal career?

JM: I chose law as my profession out of a desire to represent and assist people experiencing poverty or other kinds of marginalization. When I first started law school, I did not yet know exactly what shape this would take for me (and I often remind my students that it's okay to take some time figuring this out!). But the same core commitments that brought me to law school also informed my later professional trajectory, from becoming a judicial clerk to working as a public defender and ultimately becoming a professor.

Can you share a bit about any current projects you are working on?

JM: My research concentrates primarily on criminal prosecutors, since prosecutors play a large role -- I would say too large a role -- in determining the outcomes of the adjudicative process. I am particularly interested in such questions as: How do prosecutors make the decisions that are entrusted to their discretion? How can they be held accountable for those decisions? How can we reform prosecutorial institutions to make the criminal justice system more equitable? My current academic projects investigate these questions from varying angles.

What is your proudest career accomplishment so far?

JM: My proudest professional achievement lies in the role I have played, however modest, in helping to cultivate in my students the legal knowledge, critical thinking skills, and thirst for justice that will prepare them for successful and rewarding careers in law.

How does your experience as a former legal practitioner shape your work as a professor?

JM: As a lawyer I was constantly producing written work. Lawyers are writers, and so law schools must do everything they can to sharpen to a knife's edge their students' legal writing capabilities. Though I teach doctrinal courses, not writing courses, I try to incorporate opportunities for students to write -- and to acquire feedback on their writing -- wherever I am able.

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ICYMI: Faculty Publications, Media Mentions, and Faculty & Staff Activities

Emily Battaglia — Mon, 11 May 2026 20:22:27 +0000

ICYMI: Faculty Publications, Media Mentions, and Faculty & Staff Activities Emily Battaglia Mon, 05/11/2026 - 14:22

Faculty Publications

Scott Skinner-Thompson, Gender Therapy False Equivalency, 103 Denver L. Rev. 299 (2026).

Govind Persad, Against a Medical Exception to Equal Protection, 83 Wash. & Lee L. Rev. 335 (2026).

Could AI Be Licensed to Practice Oncology?, ASCO AI in Oncology (April 24, 2026).

Media Mentions

[Chris Winter, GWC], Maci Lesh, Science of Less: The Colorado River's Shrinking Reality, Rocky Mountain Collegian (May 6, 2026).

[Mark Squillace], Gary Wockner, 'No New Depletions' Has to be in a Colorado River Deal, News from the States (May 8, 2026).

[Scott Skinner-Thompson], Jamie O'Rourke, After SCOTUS Ruled Against Conversion Therapy Ban, Conservatives 'Chomping at the Bit' to Defeat More Pro-LGBTQ Laws, Colorado Times Recorder (May 6, 2026).

[Kathleen Lord, KWIP], Byrce Patterson, Court Finds Evidence Issues in Deborah Nicholls Trial, KJCT (May 6, 2026).

Aiden Hulting, Deborah Nicholls May Have a New Trial After the Court Finds Possible Violations, KOAA (May 6, 2026).

[Ann Lipton], James Fontanella-Khan, Can The Meme Stock King Pull Off Audacious eBay Swoop?, Financial Times (May 5, 2026).

Anirban Sen, Ross Kerber, & Suzanne McGree, Analysis: SpaceX IPO Gives Musk Sweeping Power and Curbs Shareholder Rights, Reuters (May 6, 2026).

Justin Fox, A Proposed Billionaire Tax Exposes the Dual-Share Racket, Bloomberg Law (May 6, 2026).

Vivek Krishnamurthy, The Method in Iran's Madness? Closure of Strait of Hormuz Echoes a Centuries-old Danish Play- and is a Tragedy for the World Order, The Conversation (May 5, 2026).

[Jonathon Booth], Seth Klamann, Colorado Lawmakers Kill 'No Kings Act' That Would Have Allowed People to Sue Federal Officials, Denver Post (May 5, 2026).

Faculty & Staff Activities

Sloan Speck, TaxProf Blog posts available here.

[Andrew Schwartz], Prof. Andrew Schwartz Presents at the 32nd Annual International Institute for Securities Market Growth and Development, Colorado Law (May 4, 2026).

Govind Persad (speaker), Fairly Allocating Scarce Medical Resources in an Unfair World: Equal Concern and Operationalization, Ira W. DeCamp Bioethics Seminars (Princeton University, May 6, 2026).

Ann Lipton, Business Law Prof Blog posts available here.

Challenging Advance Notice Bylaws, Precatory Proposal Proxy Solicitation (May 7, 2026), Shareholder Primacy (with Mike Levin, Apple podcasts link).

Paul Campos, Lawyers, Guns, & Money, blog posts available here.

[Prof. Emeritus Norman Aaronson], Erin Calkins, From The Peace Corps to the Clinic: Forty Years At Colorado Law, Colorado Law (May 1, 2026).

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