Biography
B.A., Ursinus College
M.A., University of Connecticut
J.D., University of Connecticut
L.L.M., Lewis and Clark Law School
Professor Hirokawa joined the faculty at Albany Law School in 2009. He teaches courses involving environmental and natural resources law, land use planning, property law, and jurisprudence. Professor Hirokawa's scholarship has explored convergences in ecology, ethics, economics, and law, with particular attention given to local environmental law, ecosystem services policy, watershed management, and environmental impact analysis. He has authored dozens of professional and scholarly articles in these areas and has co-edited (with Patricia Salkin) Greening Local Government (forthcoming 2012, ABA). Prior to joining the faculty at Albany Law, Professor Hirokawa was an Associate Professor at Texas Wesleyan University School of Law and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Oregon School of Law. Professor Hirokawa practiced land use and environmental law in Oregon and Washington and was heavily involved with community groups and nonprofit organizations. Professor Hirokawa studied philosophy and law at the University of Connecticut, where he earned his JD and MA degrees. He earned his LLM in Environmental and Natural Resources Law from Lewis & Clark Law School.
In the News
Distinguished Professor of Law; Associate Dean for Research and Scholarship Keith Hirokawa authored the Albany Times Union commentary, “City of Troy has to want to fix its problem with institutional racism,” on July 1, 2022.
Associate Dean of Research and Scholarship and Professor of Law Keith Hirokawa authored, “REDD+ as the Stranger-King,” on lpeproject.org on Dec. 20, 2021.
Associate Dean of Research and Scholarship and Professor of Law Keith Hirokawa was featured in the Grit Daily news story, “Environmental Law Professors Suggest Disruptions to Legal System Necessary to Attain Climate Innovation,” on Dec. 11, 2021.
Professor and Associate Dean of Research and Scholarship Keith Hirokawa was featured in the TreeHugger.com story, “Law Students Work to Protect Dwindling Bumblebees,” on Nov. 22, 2021.
Associate Dean of Research and Scholarship and Professor of Law Keith Hirokawa was quoted in the Bloomberg Law story, "American Bumble Bee Moves Toward Endangered Species Protection" on Sept. 28, 2021.
Associate Dean of Research and Scholarship and Professor of Law Keith Hirokawa was quoted in the Wall Street Journal story, "The Bumblebee’s Plight: Why It Is Disappearing in the U.S." on Oct. 23, 2021.
Professor and Associate Dean of Research and Scholarship Keith Hirokawa and the Bombus Pollinator Association of Law Students were featured in the WNYT-13 TV story, “Albany law students' push to get American bumblebee on endangered species list advances,” on Oct. 8, 2021.
Professor and Associate Dean of Research and Scholarship Keith Hirokawa and the Bombus Pollinator Association of Law Students were featured in the USA Today news story, "American bumblebees have disappeared from these 8 states. Now they could face extinction,” on Oct. 14, 2021.
Professor and Associate Dean of Research and Scholarship Keith Hirokawa and the Bombus Pollinator Association of Law Students were featured in the Smithsonian Magazine news story, "The American Bumblebee Has Nearly Vanished From Eight States,” on Oct. 6, 2021.
Professor and Associate Dean of Research and Scholarship Keith Hirokawa and the Bombus Pollinator Association of Law Students were featured in the Albany Times Union news story, "Legal buzz gets federal officials to look at bumblebee species,” on Oct. 3, 2021.
Selected Achievements
Professor Keith Hirokawa was named Distinguished Environmental Scholar by Vermont Law School as part of its 2017 Distinguished Summer Scholars in residency program.
Professor Keith Hirokawa wasnamed Scholar of the Month by the UNC Center for Climate, Energy, Environment and Economics (CE3) for October 2016.
