On September 26th, the Getches-Wilkinson Center and American Indian Law Program presented the 2024 Ruth Wright Distinguished Lecture in Natural Resources. This year鈥檚 speaker was Bob Anderson, the Solicitor of the Department of the Interior.听
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In addition to his role as the Solicitor, Bob Anderson is a law professor, having taught at the University of Washington School of Law and Harvard Law School. Prior to his appointment as the Solicitor, he served as a political appointee in the Clinton administration under Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt. Bob began his career as an attorney with the Native American Rights Fund, eventually co-founding NARF鈥檚 Alaska office. Bob is a member of the Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe.听
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On the day of the Ruth Wright lecture, Bob Anderson gave a talk to students during the lunch hour. Bob speaks like a mentor, humble and thoughtful, clearly committed to his role in fostering the next generation of lawyers. During the lecture that evening, Bob shared stories about his monumental cases and discussed important legal issues, covering topics such as Federal treaty and trust obligations to tribes, Alaska Native Fishing Rights, protecting public lands and offshore areas from oil and gas leasing, and Indian water rights.听
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Bob Anderson鈥檚 talk felt like an honoring of the work that has been done at the intersection of American Indian law and public lands law, as well as anticipation for the path ahead 鈥� the path that will be walked by this generation of lawyers, my generation of lawyers and the next.听
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I remember the first Ruth Wright lecture I attended when I started law school in 2022. I was overwhelmed by the blazers and the klick-clacking of heels and well-polished dress shoes across the tile of Wolf Law. I passed out nametags, star struck by the speaker and attendees, leaders in the fields of American Indian law, public lands, and natural resources 鈥� people I had dreamed of working for when I applied to law school. As I walked home that September night in 2022, I felt affirmed that I was in exactly the right place. This year was no different.听
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The recordings of the 2024 Ruth Wright Lecture can be .
Barb Colombo of captured images of the Ruth Wright Distinguished Lecture. These images are available for .