Laird is a 1986 graduate of Yale Law School, and has an M.A. in International Relations from Yale Graduate School (1981). He served as a law clerk to the Hon. William Wayne Justice of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in 1987-88. He practiced law with the San Francisco law firm Keker & Brockett until 1993, when he joined the Land and Water Fund of the Rockies to run its Idaho office and focus on public interest environmental law. In 2003, Laird launched Advocates for the West and serves as its Executive Director.

Over the last fifteen years, Laird has compiled a track record of success for the conservation movement in Idaho and other western states. He has won many decisions in federal and state courts over public lands logging, grazing, water quality, endangered species, water rights, and other environmental issues. See list of published cases.

He has received many awards and honors over the years, including:

• United Vision for Idaho named him the 2002 Environmental Leader of the Year.
• The Wilderness Society honored Laird as an “Environmental Hero” in 2003.
• A leading publication has named him a “Mountain State Super Lawyer” every year since 2007 for environmental litigation.

As Executive Director, Laird is responsible for developing Advocates for the West’s strategic vision and projects in close consultation with our partner clients; and for fundraising, administration and supervising staff attorneys. Laird also handles or co-counsels with our staff attorneys on key litigation cases, including recent cases challenging the Bush Administration’s efforts to give the livestock industry greater ownership and control over public lands management, and its refusal to list sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act.

Read about our Executive Director Laird Lucas in an issue of High Country News.