Nicholas Institute Staff

Randy Benn
Randy Benn is a Senior Fellow at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences and the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions. On leave from his partnership at the international law firm of Dewey & LeBoeuf, Randy is focusing on creating a Commission on U.S. Waters that will provide a roadmap for addressing the remaining major threats to U.S. waters and examine the next generation of water quality issues in the United States.

Prior to coming to Duke Randy focused on environmental, energy, and legislative issues in his Washington, D.C.-based law practice. He has extensive experience reconciling diverse stakeholder interests and negotiating settlements in complex, nationally significant cases. His work included representing Fortune 100 companies, trade and professional associations, municipal governments, nonprofit associations, and start-up companies before federal agencies, Congress, and the courts. He also worked with Members of Congress and their staff on authorization and appropriations legislation concerning environmental, infrastructure, transportation, science, arts, housing, and financial service issues. Prior to joining Dewey & LeBoeuf he was a partner at the law firm of Winston & Strawn. Previously, he also served as the Attorney Advisor to the Assistant Administrator for Water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, where he advised senior management on key policy and legislative Clean Water Act (CWA) developments. Randy chaired the EPA's CWA reauthorization efforts, coordinating Office of Water, EPA, and Interagency workgroups, and led efforts to develop new federal water legislation with key Congressional staff and national interest groups.

A graduate of Duke University and Duke University School of Law, Randy has published and lectured regularly on environmental issues. He has also been deeply involved in public advocacy work on interfaith issues, gun control, homelessness, runaway youth, and peacemaking.