Faculty Feature: Professor Karrigan Börk

UC Davis Law Professor Karrigan Bork smiling outside.
Professor Karrigan Börk

Professor Karrigan Börk researches legal and ethical issues in ecological restoration along with local governance issues in ecosystem management. His publications range from the definitive text on the history and application of California Fish and Game Code Section 5937 to a hatchery and genetic management plan for spring-run Chinook salmon. He holds a Ph.D. in ecology (conservation biology) from UC Davis, a J.D. from Stanford Law School, and bachelor’s degrees in environmental policy and biology from the University of Kansas, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa. He clerked for Tenth Circuit Chief Judge Mary Beck Briscoe, U.S. District Court Judge Julie Robinson, and Judge Janice Karlin on the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas. Professor Börk co-directs King Hall’s California Environmental Law and Policy Center. 

What drew you to environmental law? 

Once upon a time, I was sure I was going to be a conservation biologist. I had this vision of me wearing waders and being out in the river every day, pulling nets and catching fish, but I did an internship in Washington, D.C., the summer after my sophomore year, at Trout Unlimited. Working there made me realize that no matter how good your science is, if you don't have a strong legal framework, it's hard to make changes in the way that we manage our freshwater resources and the way we relate to our ecosystems. That's when I decided that a law degree would be a good idea. My mom was a judge, and my dad was a prosecutor, so I had grown up planning to stay a long way away from the law. After my internship, though, I thought it was probably something that I needed to be involved with to work on the kinds of issues that I wanted to work on. It's one of the reasons I really encourage students to do internships. They can change the course of your life. 

Why did you decide to pursue a Ph.D. after your law degree? 

I just love school! Kidding aside, I actually completed law school in the middle of my Ph.D. program. I started here at Davis pursuing an ecology Ph.D., and then after a year I headed off to Stanford for law school for three years, and then came back to Davis for another two years to finish my Ph.D. I knew I wanted to do the Ph.D. because I was very interested in the way science and policy work together, and particularly how we consider genetic issues under the Endangered Species Act. To work in that area, I really needed to understand how we generate genetic knowledge and what exactly it means, and the Ph.D. seemed like the best way to get that knowledge. I really liked the way that the Ph.D. interacted with the J.D. as I was pursuing them too; some of my J.D. work could be part of my dissertation, and my dissertation really relied on the knowledge and skills that I gained in law school. I'm forever grateful to Professor Bernie May, my Ph.D. advisor, and Professor Peter Moyle, the chair of my dissertation committee, for being so excited about the combination of law and science and for being flexible in figuring out how I could do both. I still work at the juncture of law and science, so I guess all that schooling paid off? 

Did you always plan to end up in academia? 

No, not at all. It wasn't until I was in law school that I started thinking academia might be a route to doing the kind of work that I had always wanted to pursue. I knew from a very young age that I wanted to work on conservation issues, especially conservation of aquatic ecosystems and the species that live in them, but I wasn't exactly sure about the best way to do it. Once I saw what it meant to be a law professor, the freedom to pursue meaningful research and the ability to teach and to engage with the public, I thought academia might be a way for me to work on the issues that I care about. I've found it's even better than I imagined, and I also feel a great sense of duty to live up to the responsibility that being a law professor entails. 

What would your students be surprised to learn about you? 

When I was 10, I met romance author Joan Johnston at a dude ranch in Arizona. She liked my name so much that she used it for the main character in her book Sweetwater Seduction. I wasn't allowed to read the book for years, but I guess it's nice to know my name will live on. 

What do you most enjoy about teaching? What do you hope students gain from your courses? 

I most enjoy meeting students and learning from them. King Hall students are an endless source of hope for the future. Every year, I'm impressed by the way students understand the law and think about social challenges, and every year I'm heartened that these are the people who will be making the big decisions in the future. I learn so much from students, and the best teaching experiences are ones where my students and I push each other to understand things more clearly and to think more deeply about the law and how it shapes the world around us. Sometimes that's in class discussions, and sometimes that's when we're sitting around the campfire in my field course. I hope students get as much from those experiences as I do! 

Do you have any hobbies or notable interests outside of your law career? 

I really enjoy being active outside. I fish, raft, garden, hike, collect rocks . . . . I also love watching college basketball and, most of all, spending time with my family. 

Of what are you proudest? 

I'm most proud of my family. My wife is a school nurse here in Davis, and together we're raising two children. I can talk about our kids for hours. Our eldest is a freshman here at UC Davis (Go Aggies!) and our youngest is a junior in high school in Davis. I love spending time with them and I’m so excited to see them grow into amazing adults. 

Do you have one piece of advice for King Hall law students? 

I think it’s always important for students to think about their mental health, both in law school and in the broader context of their careers. Law school feels like a sprint, but it’s vital to find a way to work in the law that’s sustainable over the course of a marathon career. I’m a big advocate for therapy, certainly. It’s a challenge to take care of yourself while taking advantage of all the amazing opportunities that King Hall offers. Being engaged in the life of the school is vital, but balancing that with self-care is a key skill that students have to master, and a good therapist can help with that. Take care of yourselves and each other, y’all! 


Read last month's Faculty Feature here.