Patrice Lumumba Simms is currently Vice President of Litigation for Healthy Communities at Earthjustice. He works in Washington, DC. Previously, Patrice was an Associate Professor at Howard University School of Law, teaching various environmental and energy law courses, property, and administrative law. He also created and supervised Howard Law's Environmental Law Externship Program. His areas of focus include Environmental Justice, Clean Air, Toxics, Clean Water, Drinking Water, Climate Change, and Energy Law. From October 2020 until January 2021, Patrice served as the volunteer lead of the EPA Agency Review Team for President-elect Biden's Presidential transition. Also, from February 2010 until August 2011, Patrice served in a political appointment with the Obama administration as a Deputy Assistance Attorney General in the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. In that position, Patrice supervised the Division's Law and Policy Section, Land Acquisition Section, and Environmental Defense Section, in addition to managing a number of special projects within the Division, including the Division's Environmental Justice implementation efforts. Over the course of his career Patrice served for more than five years as a staff attorney in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of General Counsel, for nearly two years as a legal counsel to EPA's Environmental Appeals Board, and for four years as a Senior Attorney with NRDC. Patrice is a member of the Massachusetts Bar (inactive) and the District of Columbia Bar, as well as the U.S. Supreme Court Bar and D.C. Circuit. He has served on numerous environmental task forces, panels, and committees. Among other things, he is currently a member of the Green Leadership Trust and the American College of Environmental Lawyers (ACOEL). He serves on the board of directors for the Environmental Integrity Project, and is a former member of the board of trustees for Earthjustice. Patrice is a 1993 Graduate of Northeastern University in Boston (BS psychology), a 1998 graduate of Howard University School of Law and former Articles Editor for the Howard Law Journal.
Work Phone:
(202) 667-4500 x5213
Email:
psimms@earthjustice.org
Website:
earthjustice.org
EPA Region:
DC
Year of induction:
2020
Degrees:
B.S. Psychology (1993), Northeastern University
J.D. (1998), Howard University School of Law
Admissions:
Massachusetts (inactive)
District of Columbia
Court Admissions:
D.C. Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court
Professional Societies and Organizations:
ABA
Green Leadership Trust
Title VI Alliance
Other Environmental Career Experience:
EPA Office General Counsel
EPA Environmental Appeals Board
DOJ ENRD
Howard University School of Law