Message From the President

ELI Mourns the Loss of Colleague and Friend, Don Baur

Donald C. Baur, a partner at Perkins Coie and a longtime member of the ELI Leadership Council, passed away in December. ELI mourns the passing of a longtime colleague and friend while we also celebrate his legacy.

Don joined Perkins Coie in 1987, where his practice over the decades focused on water, wildlife and endangered species, public land and energy resources, protected areas, coastal and ocean law, and Indian law. He began his career in the Solicitor’s Office of the Department of the Interior before serving as the general counsel of the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission. Among other writings, he was the lead author of the American Bar Association’s books on the Endangered Species Act: Law and Policy and Ocean and Coastal Law and Policy. Don also dedicated hundreds of hours of pro bono work to help whales, sea otters, parks, and the environment and was a mentor to young professionals. He was on the faculty of Vermont Law School and served on the boards of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the Shenandoah National Park Trust.

Don was a longtime affiliate of ELI and friend to many in the community. Among countless other engagements, he was a member of ELI’s Leadership Council, including its Emerging Leaders Initiative, and also an advisor on ELI’s Ocean Council. We are grateful for the years of knowing and learning from him and will strive to continue Don’s legacy into the future.

—Jordan Diamond, December 20, 2022