Maria Savasta-Kennedy

Maria Savasta-Kennedy is the George R. Ward Term Professor, Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Externship Program.  In addition to directing and teaching in the Externship Program, Prof. S-K teaches Environmental law, Environmental Justice and Environmental Law Practice and Policy. She began her teaching career at NYU School of Law’s Lawyering Program. Before teaching, Professor S-K litigated federal and state environmental, civil rights and commercial cases. She represented grass roots organizations in complex environmental cases at both the trial and appellate level while an associate attorney with Earth Justice. While in private practice, Professor S-K helped found the American Bar Association PROBAR project, a program creating volunteer opportunities for private attorneys across the country interested in representing political asylum applicants. She served as Co-Director of the NITA Southeastern Regional Trial Advocacy Program from 1998 through 2003. She is a founder of the UNC School of Law’s Externship Program, now celebrating its 25th Anniversary. 

Professor S-K teaches CLE programs on environmental law and practical lawyering skills. She is the author of North Carolina’s Environmental Law Practice Guide, now in its sixth edition.  Her research interests include social and environmental justice and exploring regulatory and market responses to pollution control and climate change. She serves as Chairperson for the Sustainability Committee for the North Carolina Bar Association Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Council, and is a faculty adviser for the UNC Law Student Environmental Law Project.  She is a council member on the National Institute of Health, National Advisory Environmental Health Sciences Council.

Professor S-K was awarded a Fulbright to teach in Xi’an, China in 2012.