The Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy, and Land Use Law will be continuing its work on climate, energy, and environmental issues under talented and experienced new leadership. Today, the Center announced the appointment of Christine Billy as Executive Director, effective January 30.
“I’m delighted that Christine has agreed to lead the Guarini Center. She brings extensive knowledge of local government and environmental policy from her many experiences working for New York City. Her expertise and commitment to advancing effective and equitable climate and environmental laws are immensely valuable as the Center works to deepen its contributions in these areas. Christine is also a committed adjunct professor who will be a wonderful mentor for the students and legal fellows that work with the Center.” — Katrina Wyman, Faculty Director, Guarini Center; Wilf Family Professor of Property Law, NYU School of Law
Christine Billy has devoted her career to developing and implementing laws and policies for a sustainable and equitable future. She is an adjunct professor of clinical law at NYU School of Law and brings experience in climate and environmental law, food law, labor and employment law, human rights law, and local and state authority. Prior to joining the Center, Billy was a Senior Legal Fellow at the State Energy and Environmental Impact Center at NYU School of Law.
Billy previously served in New York City government in a variety of roles, including Senior Counsel at the NYC Law Department, Chief Legal Counsel for the NYC COVID-19 Food Czar, Senior Counsel at the NYC Department of Sanitation, and General Counsel and Deputy Executive Director of the 2018 NYC Charter Revision Commission. Prior to government service, Billy practiced environmental law at Arnold & Porter LLP and clerked for the Honorable John T. Noonan in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School, an M.Phil from the University of Dublin, Trinity College, and a B.A. cum laude from Yale University.
Billy’s appointment follows the departure of former Executive Director Danielle Spiegel-Feld in 2023. During her tenure, Spiegel-Feld played a pivotal role in shaping the Center’s initiatives in local law and policy and solidifying its standing as an authority on local environmental issues. Spiegel-Feld has since transitioned to the role of Director of Environmental Strategy at Hines in New York City, where she continues to drive impactful initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions from buildings.