The Gonzaga Environmental & Climate Law Clinic is an interdisciplinary collaboration between the Gonzaga School of Law and the Gonzaga Institute for Climate, Water, and the Environment that brings together students and faculty from diverse disciplines to use law and policy to support efforts to promote the flourishing of Inland Northwest communities, waters, and lands in the face of a changing climate.
Clinic Leadership
The Environmental & Climate Law Clinic is led by Vanessa Waldref and Dan Fruchter who serve as co-Directors of the Clinic and as Senior Legal Fellows at the Climate Institute.
Vanessa Waldref, Clinic Co-Director & Senior Legal Fellow
Vanessa (she/her/hers) is a Spokane native, community and environmental advocate, and legal educator with deep roots in Eastern Washington. After serving in the Department of Justice for eight years, she was presidentially appointed as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, where she was the first woman to hold the role. During her tenure from 2021-2025, she co-launched the region’s first Environmental Crimes Task Force, led national efforts on environmental justice, and built strong partnerships with federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement to make communities safer and more resilient. A leader within the Department of Justice on Native American issues, Vanessa worked closely with Tribal Nations to support Tribal sovereignty, protect treaty rights and Tribal lands, reduce violent crime on reservations, and address the crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP). She is a partner and founding member of Singleton Schreiber’s Northwest office, where she leads litigation on behalf of plaintiffs, focused on environmental advocacy, protecting whistleblowers, wildfire recovery, and civil rights. Vanessa earned both her B.A. and J.D., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University. After law school, she clerked for The Honorable John D. Bates in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Passionate about mentoring the next generation of lawyers, she has taught Environmental Law, Labor and Employment Law, and Conflict of Laws at Gonzaga University School of Law. She is known for connecting legal education to lived experience, engaging students to solve real-world problems through litigation, policy advocacy, and community organizing work. As Board President of Human Rights Spokane, Vanessa is a results-driven advocate and influential community leader committed to bettering her community.
Dan Fruchter, Clinic Co-Director & Senior Legal Fellow
Dan Fruchter is a longtime public servant with a passion for using the law to advance justice and public health. Originally from the Northeast, Dan holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Tulane University and a J.D. with honors from the University of Maryland, with a special concentration in Environmental Law. Dan began his legal career at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and spent more than two decades there and at the U.S. Department of Justice, where he prosecuted criminal and civil fraud and led major cases involving radioactive waste disposal and treatment, food and drug safety, hazardous air pollutants, public lands, safe drinking water, and renewable energy. While serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Eastern Washington, Dan co-founded the region’s first Environmental Crimes Task Force and mentored dozens of Gonzaga law students through hands-on litigation experience. During his public service career, Dan was repeatedly recognized by DOJ and the private bar for his leadership and work with law enforcement, whistleblowers, community organizations, businesses, and federal, state, local, and tribal stakeholders to find collaborative solutions to improve and strengthen our communities. Dan now works as one of two founding partners in Singleton Schreiber’s Spokane office, where he continues to advocate for building safer and stronger communities and to protect public health and safety in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
What we do
- Students and faculty will work on cases that defend public health, protect public lands, promote clean air and water, and advocate for the enforcement of environmental regulations.
- The clinic will assist legislators in drafting proposed environmental legislation and regulations and providing research on best practices.
- The clinic will provide free or low-cost legal representation to individuals, nonprofit organizations, and community groups facing environmental challenges, including disputes over pollution, land use, resource management, and more.
- Meetings and workshops will be facilitated with community members to raise awareness about environmental issues and help them understand their rights and responsibilities.
- Law students, under the supervision of the clinic directors, will engage in extensive legal research on various environmental issues, analyzing existing laws and regulations, identifying areas needing reform.
- The clinic will host workshops and seminars to educate the community, organizations, and even government bodies about environmental laws, rights, and important legal precedents.
- The clinic will establish partnerships with local or national environmental non-governmental agencies to address key issues like climate change, wildlife conservation, and land preservation through advocacy efforts, co-hosted educational events, or joint research initiatives.
- Businesses and local governments will find assistance from the clinic for implementing sustainable practices including compliance with environmental regulations and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
- The clinic will assist community groups in assessing the potential environmental impacts of proposed developments and providing legal advice on how to mitigate harm.
- The clinic will contribute to environmental protection and public health efforts while also empowering students with practical experience, strengthening community engagement, and fostering a culture of advocacy for future generations of legal professionals.
Contact the clinic directors: EnvClimateLaw@gonzaga.edu