Richard Laster

Professor Richard Laster (born 8 July 1944 in Richmond, Virginia, USA) received his BA in 1966 at the University of Virginia, his JD at the University of Richmond, his LLM at Harvard Law School and his LLD from the Hebrew University in Jerualem, Faculty of Law.

Professor Laster is a member of the Virginia Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Israel Chamber of Advocates, the International Council of Environmental Law and the International Academy of Environmental Law.

From 1973 to 1979, he was a legal advisor to the Environmental Protection Agency in Israel. From 1979 to 1989, he was a partner in the law firm of Laster & Zisquit, and since then, has been with the law firm of Laster & Gouldman. Among his numerous other functions, he is Professor of Environmental Law and Policy at the Faculty of Law, formerly was at the School of Geography and the School of Environmental Sciences of the Hebrew University, and has served as Chairman of the Committee for Revision of Noise Regulations (1984-1990), Chairman of the Israel Environmental Law Association (1990), Founding member of the International Academy of Environmental Law, Member of the International Association on Water Quality (AIDA), Secretary of the Israel Society for Ecology and Environmental Quality Sciences (1992-1998, 2000-2006), Chair of the Society for Health Education in Israel (since 1990), Member of the Israel Chamber of Advocates' Committee on Environmental Law and Chair of the Steering Committee for the Kidron/Wadi Nar Basin Master Plan. He has published extensively on environmental law, environmental issues and pollution-related health problems in Israel. Professor Laster is married, and has three children and four grandchildren.