St. Thomas Law Professor Keith Rizzardi Teaches Environmental Law in China

This past July, at the invitation of the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL), St. Thomas Law professor Keith Rizzardi traveled to Beijing, China for an enlightening cultural and educational experience.

 China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL)

Professor Rizzardi was a visiting professor at the Chinese law school as a part of the CUPL Summer School Program. The program, now in its second year, attracts top academics in their fields to China to teach in a variety of disciplines including Environmental Law, Criminal Procedure, Legal Ethics, Lawyering Skills, Global Governance, and Human Rights.

Class Is In Session: Professor Rizzardi and students

In his Environmental Law class, Professor Rizzardi noted that the cultural differences between China and the United States were very evident not only because of the language barriers, but also due to restricted access to media and tools that westerners take for granted such as Google and Facebook.  He added that in the complex area of environmental negotiation, these law students quickly drew certain connections because of the air pollution all around them, overcame the language barriers, and understood that the concepts of mutual gains – from the Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA) to the tools for dealing with an angry public – transcended the cultural divisions between East and West.

"Simply by breathing the Beijing air, I smelled the significance of teaching environmental law in China," recalled Professor Rizzardi. "Many of the students I taught will move on to important positions within the Chinese government. I realized that I was educating the change agents of the future.”

Professor Rizzardi and his Environmental Law students.

Professor Rizzardi was inspired to keep a daily blog of his experience in China.  It can be read in its entirety here.
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Keith Rizzardi is an Assistant Professor of Law at St. Thomas University School of Law. He teaches in the areas of administrative law, environmental law, negotiation and professional responsibility. An experienced government lawyer, he twice chaired The Florida Bar Government Lawyer Section, served as a U.S. Department of Justice trial attorney in the Environmental and Natural Resources Division, and worked on the Everglades restoration as a managing attorney for the South Florida Water Management District. He has litigated cases before the Florida Supreme Court and in Federal district and circuit courts from coast to coast, and volunteers as an ombudsman for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Keith W. Rizzardi earned board certification from The Florida Bar in State & Federal Administrative Practice, and is the current Chairman of the U.S. Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee.