William Ginsberg
Encyclopedia
William Ginsberg was an attorney
, environmentalist
, author and professor of environmental law
. Ginsberg served as commissioner of parks and recreation in New York City, to which post he was appointed by Mayor John Lindsay
in 1968.
Ginsberg litigated a landmark case in environmental law decided by the highest court in New York State, called Mohonk v. Town of Gardiner (N.Y. 1979), a case which involved the Mohonk Preserve
in Ulster County, New York
, and established the proposition that a nature preserve protected by a conservation easement
could qualify for a tax deduction. The case served as the foundation for the preservation of open space as a public good on the grounds that open space served an educational purpose.
Ginsberg served as the hearing officer for the New York state panel investigating the Love Canal
pollution site in 1979. He authored the state's report on the site.
He was co-author of Environmental Law and Regulation in New York, the leading treatise on the subject.
He attended Antioch College
, Yale Law School
, and practiced law in New York City with the law firms of Ginsberg, Schwab & Goldberg, as well as Sive, Paget & Riesel
. He served as Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Hofstra University School of Law
.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, environmentalist
Environmentalist
An environmentalist broadly supports the goals of the environmental movement, "a political and ethical movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities"...
, author and professor of environmental law
Environmental law
Environmental law is a complex and interlocking body of treaties, conventions, statutes, regulations, and common law that operates to regulate the interaction of humanity and the natural environment, toward the purpose of reducing the impacts of human activity...
. Ginsberg served as commissioner of parks and recreation in New York City, to which post he was appointed by Mayor John Lindsay
John Lindsay
John Vliet Lindsay was an American politician, lawyer and broadcaster who was a U.S. Congressman, Mayor of New York City, candidate for U.S...
in 1968.
Ginsberg litigated a landmark case in environmental law decided by the highest court in New York State, called Mohonk v. Town of Gardiner (N.Y. 1979), a case which involved the Mohonk Preserve
Mohonk Preserve
The Mohonk Preserve is located in the Shawangunk Ridge, a section of the Appalachian Mountains, north of New York City in Ulster County, New York, USA. The Preserve is west of the Village of New Paltz...
in Ulster County, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and established the proposition that a nature preserve protected by a conservation easement
Conservation easement
In the United States, a conservation easement is an encumbrance — sometimes including a transfer of usage rights — which creates a legally enforceable land preservation agreement between a landowner and a government agency or a qualified land...
could qualify for a tax deduction. The case served as the foundation for the preservation of open space as a public good on the grounds that open space served an educational purpose.
Ginsberg served as the hearing officer for the New York state panel investigating the Love Canal
Love Canal
Love Canal was a neighborhood in Niagara Falls, New York, located in the white collar LaSalle section of the city. It officially covers 36 square blocks in the far southeastern corner of the city, along 99th Street and Read Avenue...
pollution site in 1979. He authored the state's report on the site.
He was co-author of Environmental Law and Regulation in New York, the leading treatise on the subject.
He attended Antioch College
Antioch College
Antioch College is a private, independent liberal arts college in Yellow Springs, Ohio, United States. It was the founder and the flagship institution of the six-campus Antioch University system. Founded in 1852 by the Christian Connection, the college began operating in 1853 with politician and...
, Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
, and practiced law in New York City with the law firms of Ginsberg, Schwab & Goldberg, as well as Sive, Paget & Riesel
Sive, Paget & Riesel
Sive, Paget & Riesel is a law firm located in New York City primarily focusing on environmental law. The firm is among the oldest environmental law firms in the United States, tracing its origins back over forty years....
. He served as Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Hofstra University School of Law
Hofstra University School of Law
The Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University is located in Hempstead, New York. Founded in 1970 and accredited by the ABA in 1971, the school offers a JD, a joint JD/MBA degree, and LL.M degrees in American Law and Family law...
.