The Climate Science Legal Defense Fund hosts and participates in a variety of events for scientists and the public throughout the year. These range from workshops and webinars for researchers to help them understand their legal rights and responsibilities to presentations about attacks on science and scientists. We also hold events at many scientific conferences, including the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting, and we frequently collaborate with groups such as 500 Women Scientists and the March for Science.
Please contact us if you’d like us to hold a training or workshop for scientists at your organization or to request that one of our attorneys speak at your event.
Find Us at Upcoming Scientific Conferences
American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, December 10-14, 2018
Free Consultations with a CSLDF Attorney
December 10-13, 8:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Marriott Marquis Anacostia Room (on level M3)
An increasing number of scientists are finding themselves involved in legal discussions about their work, their correspondence, and their public statements. To better prepare the scientific community for these challenges, AGU and the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund provide opportunities for scientists to have a private meeting with an attorney who works on science litigation. These brief consultations allow you to ask any legal questions regarding your scientific work. Email lawyer@csldf.org to set up an appointment. These are available in 30-minute time slots from 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
How to Get Involved in the Rulemaking Process
Tuesday, December 11, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Room 208A/B at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center
When federal agencies seek to adopt new regulations, they’re required to open the proposed rule to public comment to allow citizens to be involved in making rules that affect them. There is also a growing trend encouraging citizens to petition lawmakers in Congress about issues important to them or communicate their support or disapproval for proposed measures. This session will teach scientists how to safely and effectively participate in federal rulemaking and lawmaking so they’re equipped to participate in policymaking processes. The session will include 1) a discussion of federal agency public Notice and Comment processes and how scientists can be involved in these, and 2) an overview of the federal anti-lobbying rules and how they apply to researchers who receive federal funds, specifically federal employees and federal grantees.
Science in Court: Becoming an Expert Witness and Climate Litigation
Thursday, December 13, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Room 208A/B at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center
The legal system relies on expert testimony from scientists on a wide range of subjects, including geoscience and environmental health topics. Even if a scientist is never called on to serve as an expert witness, there are professional benefits to understanding how to participate in this process, such as communicating scientific expertise to non-experts and conveying credibility and confidence in one’s work. In this session, scientists will learn how to participate in legal advocacy as an expert witness. This will include an overview of one of the most active areas of overlap between geosciences and the law, the growing roster of climate liability lawsuits, a discussion of how science and law interact, and how science is most effectively conveyed and portrayed in a courtroom.
AAAS Annual Meeting, February 14-17, 2019
Advocacy and Activism: Legal Issues for Scientists
February 16, 10:30-11:00 a.m.
Marriott Wardman Park, Room 12
We’ll participate in the session, “Legal Protection for Scientists: Overcoming Real and Perceived Barriers,” and talk about how scientists are increasingly becoming more engaged in advocacy and activism with little understanding of the laws that govern their rights. Whether they work at a university lab or a federal lab, scientists must understand how to separate personal advocacy and activism from their professional roles.