On Nov. 8, 2021, leading environmental attorney Hal J. Pos was presented the Edward W. Clyde Distinguished Service Award by the Energy, Natural Resources & Environment Law (ENREL) Section of the Utah State Bar. This prestigious award is given to attorneys based on their overall contributions to the ENREL Section of the Bar and to the practice of environmental law. Pos has been a member of the section for many years and served as 2000-2001 ENREL chairperson. Blaine Rawson, the ENREL Section’s current chairperson says,” Hal is a very worthy recipient of the award. He exemplifies what a lawyer should and can be.” Pos has led a storied career for more than 37 years at Parsons Behle & Latimer (Parsons) as one of its preeminent environmental and natural resources attorneys and former Parsons’ president and CEO.
During the award ceremony, Pos addressed the younger natural resource attorneys emphasizing their responsibility to uphold environmental laws, regulations and policies that will support agreements made by countries and companies to combat climate change. “We have reached the critical juncture where the commitments nations and companies around the world have made must be achieved,” he said. “There remains no cushion in time. It will be your generation and your children’s generation that will need to act to help save our planet. I have great confidence that the younger lawyers in our section will help lead the way, provide the guidance and counselling to clients, to local and state governmental leaders, and to all those who will play an important role to ensure that Utah is doing its part in achieving climate change and clean energy objectives and goals.”
The nomination submitted by Parsons’ Environmental & Natural Resource (ENR) practice team cites Pos’s unparalleled commitment to his clients and to the management of Parsons. Pos is well known for selfless service including spending countless hours training young attorneys and providing legal services to community organizations. Michael A. Zody, Parsons’ ENR chairperson says, “Hal is a truly deserving recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. He has mentored and trained numerous lawyers and paralegals at Parsons Behle & Latimer. Hal’s work ethic is legendary and his devotion to the firm, its clients and the environmental law practice is unmatched. It is a true honor to congratulate Hal in receiving this much deserved award.”
Pos says he cannot think of a better and more meaningful honor than to be recognized by his peers for this award, stating that the list of previous award recipients is a virtual “Who’s Who” of environmental lawyers, many of whom were mentors or played an important role in shaping his career. “I feel very fortunate to have practiced with lawyers from our Section and Bar who are not only some of the most respected lawyers regionally and nationally, but practice with professionalism and civility,” he says. “I have learned so much from them.”
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