​The Ocean and Coastal Law class at Vermont Law School welcomes internationally renowned Jean-Michel Cousteau, president of the Ocean Futures Society, for a talk from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 14, in Oakes Hall, Room 012, at VLS. The event, part of the VLS Summer Session Hot Topics series, is free and open to the public and press. 

"Jean-Michel Cousteau is one of the leading ocean conservationists and environmental advocates of our time," said Don Baur, professor of Ocean and Coastal Law and partner at Perkins Coie. "From his youth working with his father Jacques Cousteau and exploring the oceans on the Calypso, to his current roles as president of the Ocean Futures Society and of Green Cross France and Territories, and distinguished member of Ocean Elders, Cousteau has made countless contributions to protecting the marine environment. The lessons he has learned and shares with his audience, and his vision for the world’s environmental future, have never been more important." 

Cousteau, an award-winning filmmaker, conservationist, and explorer, is recognized internationally as a diplomat for the seas. His nonprofit Ocean Futures Society is a marine conservation and education organization that is devoted to communicating the critical bond between people and the sea and the importance of wise environmental policy. Cousteau is a dedicated advocate for the protection of the water planet. As a voice for the ocean, he inspires and educates audiences worldwide about the need to act responsibly and preserve the fragile underwater ecosystems that are so intricately tied to all life on earth. 

The noontime talk at VLS will include an open forum discussion. Attendees are encouraged to bring their lunch. For more information about the event, email simonnevalcour@vermonlaw.edu. For more information about VLS Summer Session, including a full schedule of Hot Topics lectures, visit vermontlaw.edu/summer.

For more information about Jean-Michel Cousteau and the Ocean Futures Society, visit oceanfutures.org.

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Vermont Law School, a private, independent institution, is home to the nation’s largest and deepest environmental law program. VLS offers a Juris Doctor curriculum that emphasizes public service; three Master’s Degrees—Master of Environmental Law and Policy, Master of Energy Regulation and Law, and Master of Food and Agriculture Law and Policy; and four post-JD degrees —LLM in American Legal Studies (for foreign-trained lawyers), LLM in Energy Law, LLM in Environmental Law, and LLM in Food and Agriculture Law. The school features innovative experiential programs and is home to the Environmental Law Center, South Royalton Legal Clinic, Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic, Energy Clinic, Food and Agriculture Clinic, and Center for Applied Human Rights. For more information, visit vermontlaw.edu, find us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.​