Waterspout

Jim Olson writes, publishes research and articles, and consults, speaks and lectures on current and emerging issues, including water, commons, public trust, privatization, water justice, climate change, water levels, Great Lakes diversions, and new solutions to systemic threats to water in the 21st century. Jim has represented numerous citizens and communities in trial and appellate courts on matters involving water, public trust, environmental, land use, takings, hazardous and toxic tort law.

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Jim Olson writes, publishes research and articles, and consults, speaks and lectures on current and emerging issues, including water, commons, public trust, privatization, water justice, climate change, water levels, Great Lakes diversions, and new solutions to systemic threats to water in the 21st century. Jim has represented numerous citizens and communities in trial and appellate courts on matters involving water, public trust, environmental, land use, takings, hazardous and toxic tort law. He has authored books, articles, and lectured widely on environmental, land use, water, and public trust law for over 45 years: Environmental Law: A Citizens Guide (Neahtawanta Press, 1981); The Mound People (Neahtawanta Press, 1984); The Reindeer and the Easter Bunny, a children’s book (Mission Point Press, 2022); People of the Dune (forthcoming, Mission Point Press, April 2024). He teaches an innovative Water and Sustainability course at the Water Studies Institute, Northwestern Michigan College. He represented Michigan citizens in a successful 9-year battle against international food-giant Nestle's bottled water theft in Michigan. His filmography includes “FLOW For Love of Water” (2008), “Blue Gold” (2009), “Troubled Water,” Rotten Tomatoes, Netflix (2019). He is a law graduate of Detroit College of Law (Michigan State College of Law) and holds an L.L.M. Degree in environmental law from the University of Michigan Law School. He has received many awards, including Michigan Lawyers’ Weekly magazine's Lawyer of the Year and the State Bar of Michigan's Champion of Justice Award for his decade of work against the diversion, privatization, and sale of water. He’s also the Founder and Sr. Advisor to Flow for Love of Water (FLOW) Great Lakes Water Policy Center, and Of Counsel to the law firm, Olson & Howard, P.C., Traverse City, Michigan.

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