Professor Frank to Receive CLA Lifetime Achievement Award

Professor Richard M. Frank ’74 is the recipient of the California Lawyers Association Environmental Law Section's 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Professor of Environmental Practice and director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center at UC Davis since 2010, Frank previously served as the founding executive director of the Center for Law, Energy and the Environment (CLEE) at UC Berkeley School of Law. 

Before entering full-time academia, Frank practiced law for more than 30 years, primarily with the California Attorney General's office, including as chief deputy attorney general for legal affairs. Frank has served on numerous boards and commissions, including the Delta Vision Task Force (2006), CARB’s Economic Allocation & Advisory Committee on AB32 (2009), DFW’s strategic Blue Ribbon Commission (2011-12), and the board of directors for California’s High Speed Rail Authority (2013).

Frank speaks frequently on environmental topics at conferences, including the popular "Supreme Court Review" panel at the Environmental Law Section’s annual Yosemite conference. He also lends his expertise on emerging environmental issues by writing for legal journals, blogging on Legal Planet, contributing op-ed pieces to newspapers, and appearing on broadcast media. Frank continues to file briefs in important cases.

Frank holds a J.D. from UC Davis School of Law and a B.A. from UC Santa Barbara. He will receive his award in October at the 32nd Yosemite conference.