GCLC’s Baum Senior Fellows
The Baum Senior Fellows program provides an opportunity for new attorneys to gain practical experience in environmental law. The Clinic’s outgoing Fellow, Cassandra Hadwen, reflects on her tenure, and the new Fellow, Kenneth Walther, is introduced.
For over three decades, GCLC has been home to an active and very successful environmental law practice, led by experienced attorney and mentor, Keith Harley. The practice has grown over the years, expanding through partnerships with Chicago-area community groups, universities, and philanthropic organizations. The Environmental and Energy Law Clinic, a collaboration between the Chicago-Kent College of Law and GCLC, launched in 1998.
The Alvin H. Baum Family Fund has, for many years, provided essential support for the Environmental and Energy Law Clinic. To name but one example, the Fund created the Baum Senior Fellow Program, a one-year, full-time position at GCLC that enables new lawyers to gain practical experience in environmental law under Harley’s supervision.
Cassandra Hadwen, outgoing Baum Senior Fellow
The Clinic’s outgoing Senior Fellow is Cassandra Hadwen, whose work during her tenure focused on the regulation of hazardous materials including coal ash [toxic byproducts of coal combustion] and Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) [human-made chemicals used in the manufacture of non-stick cookware, food packaging, and firefighting foam]. Both coal ash and PFAS pollute air and/or water sources when not properly managed, and both are linked to adverse health effects.
Hadwen worked directly on ten urban environmental issues, representing Chicago community groups including Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, Citizens Against Ruining the Environment, and the Chicago Environmental Justice Network. She is particularly proud of her participation in the 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act and the Illinois Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan.
“The goal of environmental justice is to ensure that all people live in a clean, healthy environment regardless of their race and income, and that all people are empowered to participate in the decision-making process regarding environmental protection,” Hadwen said. “As part of the shift to renewable energy, we need to keep focus on equity goals, so the transition also benefits traditionally disenfranchised and overburdened communities.”
“GCLC has had the honor of working with Cassandra for the past year, watching her grow as an attorney and as an environmental justice advocate. We know to expect great things from her in the future,” said Adam Salzman, GCLC’s Executive Director.
Kenneth Walther, incoming Baum Senior Fellow
The Clinic’s new Baum Senior Fellow is Kenneth Walther, a 2021 graduate of Chicago-Kent College of Law.
“We are delighted to welcome Kenneth to the team,” Salzman continued. “He worked with Keith for two years in the Environmental and Energy Law Clinic at Kent and has a deep commitment to urban environmental issues.”
Walther earned a BS in Systems Biology, with a minor in Environmental Studies, from Case Western Reserve University, and a JD from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law with a certificate in Environmental and Energy Law. He was admitted to the Illinois bar in 2021.
As a student, he worked on complex environmental issues, such as contaminated site remediation, industrial permitting, and compliance monitoring. He was an executive board member of multiple organizations, including the Environmental and Energy Law Society and the Lambdas [Chicago-Kent’s LBTQ+ bar association]; he also served as the Lambdas’s representative on the school’s student diversity council, advising on Chicago-Kent’s student diversity and inclusion programs. Walther was a recipient of the Baum Family Environmental Law Fellow Scholarship and served as an associate editor of the Chicago-Kent Journal of Environmental and Energy Law.
“Collaborations with partners like Chicago-Kent College of Law and the Alvin H. Baum Family Fund result in meaningful work at the policy level,” said Salzman. “Not only through impact litigation, but through training the next generation of advocates.”