Rick Gaskins Biographical Information
Biographical Information
for
RICHARD C. GASKINS, JR.
Executive Director
Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation
421 Minuet Lane, Suite #205
Charlotte, NC 28217
704.679.9494 office; 704.408.3487 cell
Rick Gaskins was born in Norfolk, Virginia. He obtained his law degree from Harvard Law School (cum laude), where he was the Chairman of the Environmental Law Society and the Managing Editor of the Harvard Environmental Law Review. Prior to attending law school, Rick received a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Duke University (summa cum laude), worked in manufacturing, and received a Fels Research Fellowship to study public policy issues at the University of Pennsylvania. While an undergraduate, he led a team that designed and built an energy efficient car that won first place in the design portion of a national competition.
Rick is currently the Executive Director of the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation. Prior to becoming the Executive Director of CRF, he worked as an environmental attorney in private practice handling toxic tort litigation, as well as air, water, antitrust and zoning disputes. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Environmental Law. In addition, Charlotte Magazine identified him as one of the “The Best Lawyers in Charlotte.” Business North Carolina magazine” named him as a member of the “North Carolina Legal Elite” and in 2008 he was the top votegetter among environmental attorneys listed in the Legal Elite. He has also been named as one of the “Superlawyers” in North Carolina. The Chambers USA: 2004 The Client's Guide describes him as “a walking encyclopedia on toxic torts and environmental litigations [sic]." The 2007 Client’s Guide states “He is analytical, adaptable, smart, capable and a practical, problem-solving attorney.”
Rick is currently a member of the Board of the North Carolina Conservation Network, and the Carolinas Connect Environmental Cabinet, as well various community and professional boards and councils. He is a past Chair of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association and past Vice-Chair of the American Bar Association Toxic Torts and Environmental Litigation Committee. He is also a past Chair of various ASTM committees and subcommittees, and he is a former member of the Executive Committee of the ASTM Environmental Assessment Committee. He is active in numerous community and civic organizations including serving as the immediate past-Chair of the Advisory Board for the Charlotte Area Command of the Salvation Army. He was formerly an appointee to the Legislative and Legal Issues Subcommittee of the Governor’s Waste Management Board for the State of North Carolina. He has published papers and has spoken at seminars and conferences in the United States and Canada on environmental topics.
