ALUMNI PROFILE
ALUMNI
Precision Focus on Environmental Law Chris Rizzo ‘01
Partner, Carter Ledyard and Milburn LLP Director of the Environmental Practice Chris Rizzo is a Partner with Carter Ledyard and Milburn LLP and Director of the Environmental Practice at the firm. From the moment he decided he wanted to attend law school, Chris knew that he was specifically going to focus on environmental law. From participating in the environmental litigation clinic, to environmental law review, and ultimately graduating with an environmental law certificate, Pace provided the environmental legal education he sought out.
When did you decide that you wanted to be a lawyer? That was probably in my sophomore year of college. I was studying political science and biology. I had a biology professor, and I expressed to him my deep interest in biology, particularly environmental biology. And he said to me something like “no, no, no, no, Chris, do not become a scientist or biologist. You should become a lawyer, an environmental lawyer. Lawyers get everything done.” He didn't say this with kindness. He said it with resentment. But he was very clear with me that he thought I should go towards law school. I took it to heart, and I never looked back.
And from there, how did you choose Haub Law? Well, I knew that I specifically was going to law school to focus on environmental law. So I sought out a law
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H A U B L AW A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E
"All of the robust environmental course offerings really gave me a foundation in various areas of law, which was helpful later." school where I could specifically focus on that area with the intention of practicing in that area. I received a full academic scholarship to come to Haub Law, which was a huge motivation for me. I was very leery about taking on any student debt, and worried about what that would do to my professional flexibility in the future. I was admitted to a number of other law schools and while the full scholarship
