Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline is over 70 years old and remains a grave threat to the waters and people of the Great Lakes region. On Wednesday, July 19, FLOW and Oil & Water Don’t Mix will present a free live webinar, The Strait Story: Enbridge Line 5 and its Trespass on State Waters and Indigenous Lands. Viewers will learn about important legal developments, smart alternatives, and how we can avert an oil spill disaster.
We’re pleased to announce an outstanding panel of experts for the webinar:
Riyaz Kanji, Founding Member and Directing Attorney, Kanji & Katzen
Riyaz Kanji is a founding member of Kanji & Katzen, PLLC, a firm whose mission is to advance Tribal sovereignty. A graduate of Harvard College and the Yale Law School, Riyaz served as a law clerk to the late Honorable Betty Fletcher of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and Justice David Souter of the United States Supreme Court. He is an advisor to and vocal cheerleader for the Tribal Supreme Court Project. Riyaz represents Tribes at all levels of the federal court system, and was part of the team that argued and won the decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma vindicating the continued existence of the Muscogee Creek Reservation.
Christopher Clark, Supervising Senior Attorney, Earthjustice, Chicago
Christopher joined Earthjustice’s Midwest regional program in January 2020. He works with the Chicago-based team to advance the organization’s mission throughout the region. Earthjustice, in collaboration with the Native American Rights Fund, currently represents the Bay Mills Indian Community in its advocacy and litigation efforts involving the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline.
Prior to joining Earthjustice, Christopher worked for over a decade as senior counsel and then Midwest Regional Director for Lambda Legal, the nation’s largest LGBTQ legal rights organization. In that capacity, Christopher successfully argued cases before five different state supreme courts in the Midwest region.
Christopher obtained his undergraduate degree in Public and International Affairs form Princeton University and his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School. He lives in Chicago with his husband, Victor where they own an art gallery.
Sean McBrearty, Legislative and Policy Director, Clean Water Action
Sean McBrearty is the Campaign Coordinator for the Oil & Water Don’t Mix campaign and Legislative and Policy Director at Michigan Clean Water Action, where he works on water infrastructure, oil and gas, and drinking water issues. Mr. McBrearty has served as a leader in the campaign to decommission Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline for the past six years. He learned the importance of protecting drinking water and our environment from a young age, growing up in a community devastated by perennial droughts and poor water and air quality in California’s Central Valley.
