Anthony Robert Zelle, Esq.
FOUNDER                                                                 

Tony is an Earth lawyer. While serving as Chair and President of the Earth Law Center, following 30 years in private practice trying cases and arguing appeals, he served as lead editor and author of the only comprehensive book on the subject: Earth Law: Emerging Ecocentric Law-A Guide for Practitioners. Developed for law school curricula, and now part of developing LLM programs internationally, the book has also become the primary reference source for practitioners.

The focus of Tony's current work is developing Earth law in practice and creating revenue-generating opportunities for Earth lawyers.

Learn more about Tony’s journey from a recent Boston College Law School Magazine profile. https://lawmagazine.bc.edu/2025/02/voice-for-the-earth/

Tara A. Pierce
COFOUNDER

Tara’s background in art activism and nonprofits led to her legal studies, which focused on transforming law into a healing practice. Her love of the ocean drove her expertise in Restorative Ocean Farming and legal approaches to living in harmony with the ocean. Tara has a passion for climate justice, so she’s always on the lookout for community-based projects.

Maisie Paddon
COFOUNDER

Maisie serves on the board at the Society for Earth Law (SOEL), championing nature‑led governance. She designs regenerative circular frameworks aligned with Earth’s cycles—interconnected, resilient, and self‑renewing. Drawing on consulting experience at Ernst & Young Capgemini, and others, she bridges biology and technology, believing that humans can be a Keystone Species through capital, redirecting financial assets that deliver resilience in Nature's last mile.  She believes Nature is our most creative innovator and our best insurance.

Kerry Hudson
COFOUNDER

Kerry is a social-justice lawyer with work on heirs’ property reform and Florida aquifer protections. He co-founded a clinic for Environmentally Acquired Diseases and climate-linked health impacts. As Education Director for Rights of Nature, he created materials on property law, Public Trust Doctrine, and Earth Law: A Practitioner’s Guide. He holds an MFA and J.D. and publishes fiction and nonfiction. He lives in London, writing a manuscript on property law, social justice, and climate crisis.

Rachelle Adam

With twenty-five years of experience in “rights for nature” legal issues, Rachelle spearheaded an amendment to Israel’s Water Law’s that granted legal status to streams, springs and wetlands. She co-founded Ramot for the Environment and drafted the “Gazelle Petition,” winning the 2008 court decision. She has taught environmental law at Hebrew University’s law faculty and is academic director of the Environmental and Climate Change Clinic. Rachelle also sits on the board of Earth Law Center.

April Elizabeth Finlayson

April Elizabeth Finlayson is an “Edu-neer” designing transformational learning experiences and reimagining education to promote lifelong learning. She has developed nearly a dozen innovative schools and programs across K-12, after-school, adult development, and Higher-Ed. Her leadership centers learner voice, agency, and empowerment; she believes teaching and learning are reciprocal, interchangeable, and that “in-powered” learners thrive. Cross-culturally raised in The Bahamas, USA, and Canada, she holds a McGill BA and Harvard master’s and doctorate in education.

Cat Haas

Cat Haas is Director of the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor, overseeing research and development of a comprehensive database of ecological jurisprudence initiatives. She has documented and analyzed the evolution of Earth‑centered law, focusing on Rights of Nature, ecological law, and Indigenous ontologies. She holds an M.A. in Global Studies from UNC‑Chapel Hill and serves on the GARN Academic Hub Steering Committee. With a background in environmental education, she advances sustainable legal frameworks that center ecological well‑being.

Narayan Toolan

Narayan is an Earth lawyer and activist with experience in Switzerland, the US, and Ireland. In Geneva he worked for NGOs including IBJ and WFPHA. He holds an LLB from LSE (Lecturer’s Prize in Jurisprudence) and an LLM in Environmental Law and IP from UCLA. He published PLOS research on climate‑health litigation, litigated anti‑fracking cases in Ireland, authored the climate novel Earthmind, and passed the New York bar in 2024.

Janet Marley 
                                                                                      Janet is completing an MA in Ecopsychology at Naropa University, researching governance in indigenous societies of Turtle Island and how ecozoic ways influence regenerative communities and bioregional initiatives. She is co-creating learning centers that teach connection and reciprocity with the natural world. Her roles include Event Producer and Facilitator. She is a mom of two, a board member for The Circle for Change Initiative, and Director of Programming and Events at Manitoulin Eco Park.

Joseph O'Brian

Joseph recently graduated from Brown University with a concentration in environmental studies. At Brown, he organized an experimental climate negotiation simulation featuring non-human, non-state, and state actors. With a background in regenerative agriculture, political theory, and contemplative education, he is excited to support this year's cohort jump into the chaotic, beautiful, and generative world of Earth Law.

Michelle St Jane

Practical, Precise, and Purpose focused, Michelle engages in intergenerational collaborations that serve, solve and simplify opportunities for global action, deep sustainability of our oceans & for regenerative Earth.  As an influencer and global business connector she focuses on linking Nature to Business (N2B) in international business sectors of reinsurance and blockchain.  She has mentored on the Lloyds of London Lab cohort   catalyzing partnerships for resilient solutions. 

 

 

Ava Roche                                                  Ava is a pre-law senior at Columbia University studying Political Ecology, writing a thesis on the socio-political effects of deep-sea mining in the Cook Islands. She will attend Columbia’s Climate School this fall and aspires to be an earth lawyer, having served as student director of Earth Law Center’s “Earth Law: Emerging Ecocentric Law” course last summer. A scuba diver, she will intern at Sabin Center under Michael Gerrard and TA with Earth Law Practice.

Aurélie Rodzynek

Aurélie is an environmental advocate at the intersection of law, policy, and ecological justice. In her role at Earth Law Alliance, she blends rights‑of‑nature movements with cross‑sector partnerships. Her work spans international institutions, research centers, and grassroots networks—shaping UN water governance, advancing biodiversity and gender equity, and building coalitions bridging science, law, and community leadership.