Co-sponsored by committees of ABA SEER
The American Bar Association (ABA) SEER Agricultural Management Committee; SEER In-House Committee; SEER Pesticides, Chemical Regulation and Right-to-Know Committee; SEER Science and Technology Committee; and the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) hosted this “Friday Breakfast Forum” networking event.
WHAT: A discussion on Mitigation & Litigation involving the Endangered Species Act featuring Ya-Wei (Jake) Li, Director of Endangered Species Program, Defenders of Wildlife (Defenders), and Jason Rylander, Senior Staff Attorney, Defenders of Wildlife.
Ya-Wei (Jake) Li: Jake is an environmental lawyer who specialized in endangered species law, policy and science. He focuses on improving how the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is implemented, so that it become more effective and efficient at conserving wildlife. Much of the work involves endangered species listings, consultations, critical habitat designations, recovery planning, habitat conservation plans, and candidate species conservation. He also works closely with other conservation organizations, federal and state agencies, and industry to find solutions to complex or contentious endangered species issues.
Before joining Defenders in 2010, Jake practiced environmental law at Latham & Watkins, LLP. There he worked or regulatory counseling and litigation relating to endangered species, air and water contaminants, pesticides, chemical regulations, environmental assessments, and renewable energy.
Jake holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering, summa cum laude, from Drexel University and a J.D., cum laude, from Cornell University Law School. At Cornell, Jake also completed graduate coursework in conservation biology and herpetology. He has been admitted to the District of Columbia and New York State bars.
Jason Rylander: Jason’s areas of expertise include the Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, wildlife and environmental law, wetlands law and regulation, and regulatory takings. As staff attorney, Jason litigates cases across the country involving endangered species and habitat protection. His cases have involved gray wolves, grizzly bears, piping plovers, pygmy owls, red knots, and other imperiled species. He recently represented ten of America’s most renowned scientists, including E.O. Wilson, Jared Diamond, and Paul Ehrlich, in a brief before the U.S. Supreme Court on the importance of preserving wetlands under the Clean Water Act.
Before joining Defenders in 2005, Jason served as Litigation & Policy Counsel for Community Rights Counsel and an associate at the law firm of Perkins Coie, LLP. Prior to attending law school, he held positions with the Conservation Fund and the National Wildlife Federation. He is the former managing editor of the Land Letter, a national newsletter covering natural resource policy.
Jason earned a B.A. in Government, cum laude, from Cornell University and a J.D. from the William & Mary School of Law, where he served as an editor of both the William & Mary Law Review and the Environmental Law and Policy Review. A member of the Moot Court team, he was a winner of the American Bar Association’s 1999-2000 National Appellate Advocacy Competition. Jason has published numerous articles and op-eds on environmental law and policy issues.