Gerrard and Richter Recognized with “Lifetime Achievement” Award at the NY Legal Awards

Arnold & Porter senior counsel Michael Gerrard and Rosalyn Richter were recognized at the New York Legal Awards with the Lifetime Achievement award. Recipients of the Lifetime Achievement award are honored for their “accomplishments and impact on the legal community and the practice of law over an entire career.”

Gerrard is “is one of the foremost environmental lawyers in the nation—an advocate, litigator, teacher, scholar, and leader who has pioneered the use of cutting-edge legal tools to combat the global climate crisis,” Gillian Lester, Dean of Columbia Law School, said in the New York Law Journal about Gerrard’s lifetime achievement award.

“Across every dimension of his work, Michael has implored our society and its leaders to confront the difficult truth: That the law as we know it, particularly surrounding our environment and energy consumption, will need to rapidly adapt to address an ever more rapidly escalating climate crisis,” Lester said.

Justice Richter “has been a trailblazer throughout her career, and the magnitude of her contributions to the legal community cannot be overstated. As the first openly LGBTQ judge appointed to the Appellate Division, First Department, Judge Roz has been an ardent advocate for those in the LGBTQ community. However, her efforts have certainly extended beyond that community as she has also passionately advocated for other historically marginalized groups; she has particularly been an effective proponent in the areas of disability access and civil rights,” Arnold & Porter partner Sheila S. Boston said in the New York Law Journal about Justice Richter’s lifetime achievement award.

“I have great respect and admiration for her and can think of few in the New York City legal community, as well as the larger legal landscape, who are more deserving of recognition for a lifetime of pioneering, inspiring leadership, and distinguished accomplishment as a role model and public servant,” Boston said.

Gerrard is Andrew Sabin Professor of Professional Practice and Director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School, and a member and former Chair of the Faculty of Columbia's Earth Institute. He has practiced environmental law in New York since 1979. He has tried numerous cases and argued many appeals in federal and state courts and administrative tribunals, and handled the environmental aspects of many transactions and development projects. He has Mr. Gerrard has chaired the American Bar Association's Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources; the Executive Committee of the New York City Bar, and the Environmental Law Section of the New York State Bar Association.

Justice Richter has a wealth of experience that contributes to her practice. Prior to joining the firm, for over a decade she served as an Associate Justice in the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court, First Department, one of the premier intermediate appellate courts in the United States. In that role, she presided over a diverse range of complex issues, including significant commercial and real estate matters, and criminal and matrimonial cases. Before joining the appellate court, Justice Richter served as a trial judge for 19 years, overseeing criminal, civil and family law cases.