JOHN C. KUNICH
CURRICULUM VITAE
CONTACT INFORMATION:
6838 Charter Hills Road
Charlotte NC 28277
Telephone: (704) 542-2126
Mobile: (423) 443-0520
E-mail: JohnCKunich@aol.com
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:
George Washington University School of Law
LL.M. in Environmental Law, 1993, Summa Cum Laude.
Thesis published in Environmental Law (see below).
Harvard Law School
J.D., 1985, Cum Laude.
Founded Raoul Wallenberg Philanthropic Society.
University of Illinois at Chicago
M.S. in Biological Sciences, 1979, Summa Cum Laude.
Teaching and Research Assistant to Professor Bernard Greenberg, 1975-
1979.
University of Illinois at Chicago
B.S. in Biological Sciences, 1975, Summa Cum Laude.
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LEGAL PUBLICATIONS:
“The Uncertainty of Life and Death: The Precautionary Principle, Gödel, and the Hotspots
Wager,” 17 Michigan State Journal of International Law 1-42 (lead article) (2008).
“Betting the Earth: How We Can Still Win the Biggest Gamble of All Time,” (book),
Parkhurst Brothers (2010).
“Losing Nemo: The Mass Extinction Now Threatening The World‟s Ocean Hotspots,” 30
Columbia Journal of Environmental Law 1-133 (lead article) (2005).
“Killing Our Oceans: Dealing with the Mass Extinction of Marine Life,” (book),
Greenwood/Praeger (2006).
“Ark of the Broken Covenant: Protecting the World‟s Biodiversity Hotspots,” (book),
Greenwood/Praeger (2003). Selected as one of the “Outstanding Academic Titles, 2003” in
the January 2004 issue of Choice, Volume 41(5), page 850.
“Shock Torts Reloaded,” 6 Appalachian Journal of Law 1-29 (lead article) (2006).
“World Heritage in Danger in the Hotspots,” 78 Indiana Law Journal 619-658 (lead article)
(2003).
“The Naked Clone: How Cloning Bans Threaten Our Personal Rights,” (book),
Greenwood/Praeger (2003).
“Can a Mass Extinction be Averted in the World of the World Trade Organization?” 1
Oxford Forum on Public Policy 75-108 (2005).
“The Naked Clone,” 91 Kentucky Law Journal 1-65 (lead article) (2002-2003).
“Entomology and the Law: Flies as Forensic Indicators,” (book), Cambridge University
Press (2002) (with Dr. Bernard Greenberg).
“Mother Frankenstein, Doctor Nature, and the Environmental Law of Genetic Engineering,”
74 Southern California Law Review 807-872 (2001).
“Fiddling Around While the Hotspots Burn Out,” 14 Georgetown International
Environmental Law Review 179-263 (lead article) (2001).
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“Preserving the Womb of the Unknown Species with Hotspots Legislation,” 52 Hastings
Law Journal 1149-1253 (lead article) (2001).
“Natural Born Copycat Killers and the Law of Shock Torts,” 78 Washington University Law
Quarterly 1157-1270 (2000).
“Planetary Defense: The Legality of Global Survival,” 41 Air Force Law Review 119
(1997).
“Drumming Out Ceremonies: Historical Relic or Overlooked Tool,” 39 Air Force Law
Review 47 (1996).
“The Fallacy of Deathbed Conservation under the Endangered Species Act,” 24
Environmental Law 501 (1994).
“Qui Tam: White Knight or Trojan Horse,” 33 Air Force Law Review 31 (1990).
LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT PUBLICATIONS:
“Cubs Fans‟ Leadership Secrets: Learning to Win from a „Cursed‟ Team‟s Errors,” (book),
Parkhurst Brothers (2009) (with Dr. Richard Lester).
“Survival Kit For Leaders,” (book), Skyward Publishing (2003) (with Dr. Richard Lester).
“Reality Leadership,” 20 Air & Space Power Journal 82 (Winter 2006), subsequently
translated and published in French, Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, and other versions,
and anthologized in the 2008 edition of the textbook Concepts for Air Force Leadership, Air
University Press (with Dr. Richard Lester).
“Leadership and the Art of Mentoring: Tool Kit for the Time Machine,” 6 Journal of
Leadership Studies 17 (Winter/Spring 1999) and anthologized in the textbook Concepts for
Air Force Leadership, Air University Press (2001) (with Dr. Richard Lester).
“Leadership and Management: The Quality Quadrants,” 4 Journal of Leadership Studies 17
(Fall 1997) (with Dr. Richard Lester).
“Leadership and the Art of Feedback: Feeding the Hands that Back Us,” 3 Journal of
Leadership Studies 3 (Fall 1996) (with Dr. Richard Lester).
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“The Wallenberg Effect: Profile of a Leader,” 1 Journal of Leadership Studies 94 (March
1994), specially reprinted in 4 Journal of Leadership Studies 5 (Summer 1997) and
anthologized in three editions of the textbook Concepts for Air Force Leadership, Air
University Press (1996, 2001, and 2008) used by up to 10,000 Air University students
annually (with Dr. Richard Lester).
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS AND CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY:
Testimony before the House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce on
April 21, 2004. The issue was proposed exemptions for the Department of Defense from
certain provisions of the Clean Air Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. Prepared
remarks are available at:
http://energycommerce.house.gov/reparchives/108/Hearings/04212004hearing1252/Kunich1
945.htm
Testimony before the entire House of Representatives Committee on Resources, concerning
the impact of proposed amendments to the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal
Protection Act, on May 6, 2003. Prepared remarks are available at:
http://www.house.gov/resources/108cong/full/2003may06/kunich.htm.
Plenary session discussion panel participation and presentation before the Intelligence
Squared Green Festival on Climate Change, held at the Royal Geographical Society in
London, England, January 25, 2009. Delivered remarks relating to the role of scientific and
factual uncertainty in global environmental decision-making. Attendees included numerous
international NGOs and international business specialists.
Participated in a series of debates and presentations for the Federalist Society prior to my
Fulbright project in late 2010. These events were well-attended and highly rated by the
students, and took place at such law schools as Vanderbilt, New York University, Boston
University, Emory, University of Colorado, Mercer, Brigham Young University, Touro,
Pace, and the University of North Carolina, among others.
One of forty people in the world invited to the Oxford Round Table on International Trade
and the Environment, held at Oxford University, England, August 8-13, 2004. One of the
plenary panel participants selected to make a formal presentation as well, which dealt with
combating mass extinction under CITES and other endangered species laws within the
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restrictions imposed by the World Trade Organization. The event featured members of
several international NGOs and business organizations.
Debated a series of experts from internationally-recognized organizations during the 2009-
2010 academic year in several widely-attended events at Charlotte School of Law sponsored
by the local student chapter of the Federalist Society. My opponents included famous
authorities from the Cato Institute, the Institute for Justice, Time magazine, and National
Review magazine, plus other law schools.
Plenary session panel participation and presentation at an internationally-attended conference
dealing with global climate change at Michigan State University College of Law, February
15, 2008. Spoke about the precautionary principle, its meaning within the context of
contemporary environmental and natural resources law, science, and business decision-
making, and its relationship to the works of Blaise Pascal, Kurt Gödel, and Werner
Heisenberg.
One of four experts featured in a 30-minute television special on CNN International,
December 2003, dealing with the current mass extinction and endangered species laws. The
other three guests were two-time Pulitzer Prize winner E.O. Wilson of Harvard University,
Stuart Pimm of Duke University, and Russell Mittermeier, head of the global NGO
Conservation International. The program aired all over the world.
Lecture/demonstration, along with Dean Dennis Tonsing, on time management at the AALS
Annual Meeting, January 4, 2004. The hour-long event was attended by over 100 legal
education professionals, and we were invited to reprise the presentation on videotape and
cable television at the University of Massachusetts.
Panel discussion on the law‟s response to scientific advancements in assisted reproduction
technology, at the Annual Symposium of the Women‟s Rights Law Reporter, held at Rutgers
University, April 1, 2004. My contribution was based on ideas from my book and law
review article dealing with legal issues relevant to human cloning.
The only guest on a 30-minute interview program, Thirteenth State Forum, on WSBE, the
Rhode Island PBS television station. The program was broadcast on Wednesday, 12 May
2004, at 7:30 p.m. The show, hosted by Paul Zangari, dealt with my book, Ark of the Broken
Covenant: Protecting the World's Biodiversity Hotspots, and my related work on biodiversity
law. This was my second appearance as the sole featured guest on this program; I was also
on during the summer of 2003 to discuss my Survival Kit for Leaders book. Thirteenth State
Forum is carried by local cable television stations in New England, as well as being
broadcast over the air in Rhode Island and much of Massachusetts.
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Along with Dean Tonsing, went to the Massachusetts School of Law in Andover on March
25, 2004. We were invited there to repeat the substance of our time management
presentation from the AALS Annual Meeting. Our one-hour presentation was videotaped for
broadcast on the law school‟s Comcast cable television program, “Educational Forum,”
which has a potential viewership of approximately 15 million people. The program was
broadcast on Sunday, April 4, 2004, at 11:00 a.m.
Lecture at a Resources For the Future (a prominent NGO) seminar in Washington DC on
April 2, 2003, dealing with my work on legal protection of the world‟s biodiversity hotspots.
Past speakers in this RFF seminar series include the chair of the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, a former director of the CIA, the vice president for environment for Mexico,
and notable scholars. Attendees at my presentation included people from EPA and DOI
headquarters, as well as numerous other NGOs. The audio and slides from my presentation
are now featured on the RFF website, available at the following URL:
http://www.rff.org/seminar/history.htm#04-02-03.
Lecture at the University of Florida, February 6, 2003, dealing with my book on Forensic
Entomology, the law and the science. The audience of around 200 people included Law
School faculty and students as well as faculty and students from the University of Florida
Science Department.
Led an expert panel discussion dealing with the current crisis in biodiversity and the legal
response thereto at the annual meeting of the Society of Environmental Journalists,
Pittsburgh PA, October 2004.
Debate at Ohio Northern University School of Law, October 2002, dealing with National
Security Law issues and the war with Iraq. The large auditorium was filled to capacity, and
the local press covered the event.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
Fulbright Senior Specialist (Scholar), Fall 2010, serving at the Indian Law Institute, New
Delhi, India, as a Professor of Comparative International Environmental Law teaching
advanced courses to Ph.D. and LL.M. students.
Professor of Law (tenured) and Director of Faculty Scholarship and Research, Charlotte
School of Law, August 2007 to June 2010, teaching international/environmental law, natural
resources law, and constitutional law, plus first-year torts and property, while spearheading
the scholarship and leadership initiatives among all faculty.
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Associate Professor of Law (tenured), Appalachian School of Law, July 2005 to July 2007,
teaching first year subjects property and torts, plus advanced courses in national security law,
trial advocacy, First Amendment, international environmental law, and natural resources law.
Associate Professor of Law, Roger Williams University School of Law, August 1999 to June
2005, teaching primarily environmental law, national security law, natural resources law,
property, and torts, plus scientific evidence, First Amendment, and trial advocacy. Voted
Professor of the Year, 2000-2001, for both the Day Division and the Evening Division, by
the graduating law students.
Three years (1987-1990) as full-time instructor in environmental law, criminal law, criminal
procedure, evidence, and trial advocacy at the Air Force Judge Advocate General School,
teaching military attorneys. See below.
Curriculum development for two courses in trial advocacy using National Institute of Trial
Advocacy methods.
Created and/or directed multiple courses from start to finish, mostly in national security law,
natural resources law, and trial advocacy.
Guest lecturer at various Air Force schools (1990-present), primarily in environmental law.
BAR MEMBERSHIPS:
Illinois, 1985; United States Supreme Court, 1990; Court of Military Appeals, 1985.
EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE:
Fulbright Senior Specialist (Scholar), Indian Law Institute, Fall 2010-.
Selected for a prestigious Fulbright Senior Specialist grant to serve as a Professor of Law at
the Indian Law Institute in New Delhi, India.
As a Fulbright Senior Specialist (Scholar), assigned to teach advanced Comparative
International Environmental Law courses to select groups of Ph.D. and LL.M. students, with
emphasis on the proper legal and policy response to climate change and other key global
environmental threats.
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Asked to present faculty workshops at the Indian Law Institute to other law professors as
well as to high-level Indian government officials on major international environmental
challenges, including climate change and related issues.
Selected to conduct curriculum review for the comparative environmental law program at the
Indian Law Institute to ensure optimal subject matter coverage and appropriate emphasis on
core legal and scientific issues.
Invited to serve as senior mentor for Ph.D. and LL.M. students interested in environmental
law, both on a domestic and international level.
Tenured Professor of Law, Charlotte School of Law, 2007-2010.
Became the first Director of Faculty Scholarship and Research and the only
international/environmental law and litigation specialist on the faculty.
Spearheaded creation of a detailed, practical guide for law professors to aid in writing,
refining, and publishing valuable works of legal scholarship.
Led a team of senior faculty members in the formulation of detailed guidelines as to the
definition, importance, and professional evaluation of scholarly publications at Charlotte
School of Law.
At the request of the Interim Dean, created a detailed “cultural fable” to provide thought-
provoking points of departure for discussions of the InfiLaw system during retreats and
workshops.
Helped launch a series of lectures and workshops for students and faculty illustrating the
interrelationship between leadership and the law.
Initiated a series of informal, pre-publication workshops in which faculty members can share
their works in progress and gain useful feedback before their work is finalized. Gave the first
presentation personally.
Instituted a series of faculty-student presentations wherein professors speak to current and
prospective students about their scholarly interests and research. Was the first professor to
speak as part of this program, in a presentation dealing with the current mass extinction and
the failure of international and domestic endangered species laws to prevent or halt this.
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Wrote the manuscripts for my sixth and seventh books, as well as an additional law review
article dealing with international environmental law and decision-making.
Tenured Associate Professor of Law, Appalachian School of Law, 2005-2007.
Taught property to the entire first-year class, at some 140 students the largest in the school‟s
history. Also taught evidence to the entire second-year class, plus significant enrollments in
national security law, trial advocacy and first amendment law.
Completed work on the manuscript for fifth book, on the subject of the international legal
response to the current mass extinction of marine biodiversity, as well as an environmental
law review article and a leadership journal article.
Became the first winner, in 2006, of the now-annual Faculty Scholarship Award as author of
the best, most significant, and most influential legal scholarship during the academic year.
Created and secured official approval for a new semester-long advanced course in national
security law, then taught the course to a large and receptive group of upper-year students.
My first offering of the course received maximum ratings from the students during the end-
of-course evaluation process.
Selected for tenure by unanimous vote two years earlier than normal.
Served as faculty advisor to the newly-formed Journal of Natural Resources Law, assisting
the students in obtaining faculty and board approval for the journal and preparing the initial
volume for publication.
Associate Professor of Law, Roger Williams University School of Law, 1999-2005.
Published four books and seven law review articles during first 5 years, with a research
agenda focusing on environmental and natural resources law, emphasizing international/
comparative law issues, with additional publications in other law and science topics.
Earned high ratings on student evaluations in key subject matter areas every semester.
Created and negotiated formal faculty adoption of two new semester-long courses, in
national security law and natural resources law, and taught both courses, to outstanding
reviews; also created a course in international marine biodiversity law in 2004.
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Voted Professor of the Year for the 2000-2001 academic year by both divisions of law
students (see above).
Led the initiation of a series of faculty-student brown-bag luncheons, open to all students, at
which faculty members present recent scholarship and exchange views with students;
personally conducted the inaugural presentation on international/comparative natural
resources law, to a gathering of approximately 150 students and faculty.
Served on numerous committees, including Admissions (5 years), Website, Law School
Culture, and Information Technology (Chair).
Spearheaded the development of the Law School‟s strategic plan.
Assisted in a major re-working of the website for the Law School, transforming it into an
attractive, informative resource that contributed to a doubling in the size of the entering class.
Taught more than a full course load, including new preparations every semester for the first
three years; during four semesters, taught a significant overload.
Conceived, developed, and implemented the Law School‟s first student satisfaction survey,
which yielded highly valuable information.
Chief, Environmental Compliance and Planning, Lieutenant Colonel, Headquarters Air
Force, 1997-1999.
Led a team of experienced environmental litigators to numerous victories in federal and state
courts from coast to coast and around the world, in cases with hundreds of millions of dollars
and major federal projects and programs at stake.
Personally served as lead military litigator in key federal cases involving complex issues
under NEPA, CERCLA, the Endangered Species Act, wetlands issues under the Clean Water
Act, RCRA, and other federal environmental statutes, resulting in preservation of important
military programs and many millions of dollars saved.
Defeated several attempts by international environmental NGOs to impose injunctions on
major Air Force projects under NEPA, the Endangered Species Act, RCRA, and the Clean
Water Act.
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Negotiated creative ADR arrangements that preserved military missions in cases brought
under NEPA, Clean Air Act, CERCLA, and other federal statutes.
Instituted a comprehensive training program that systematically brought hundreds of
attorneys worldwide the latest legislative and judicial word on the entire panoply of
environmental and natural resources statutes and regulations.
Revitalized three annual environmental/natural resources law courses for experienced
attorneys, teaching 200+ each year.
Worked closely with environmental regulators at the federal and state level to enable the Air
Force to meet its most modern mission requirements within the confines of the law.
Crafted a world-class website for rapid widespread global dissemination of environmental
and natural resources law information to military attorneys assigned to bases in many
nations.
Senior Legal Counsel, Major/Lieutenant Colonel, Falcon Air Force Base, Colorado, 1995-
1997.
Led office of 9 attorneys and 5 paralegals to earn the extremely rare Outstanding rating
during an independent evaluation.
Personally secured the future of the Air Force‟s most cutting-edge satellite and missile
defense programs despite aggressive challenges from international environmental NGOs
based on NEPA, CERCLA, RCRA, international treaty obligations, and Endangered Species
Act grounds.
Designed, implemented and taught a unique, comprehensive series of lessons on all phases of
trial advocacy and leadership for office attorneys; did the same for paralegals on legal
research and writing, including computer-aided techniques.
Saved vital state-of-the-art space programs through groundbreaking international and
environmental legal analysis, subsequently leading to major publications.
Two senior supervisors‟ formal overall ratings: “by far the greatest judge advocate I have
ever known,” and “the finest judge advocate/leader I have ever known.”
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Chief Environmental and Labor Attorney, Major, Air Force Space Command, 1993-1995.
Steered 7 major ultra-innovative federal installations and numerous smaller sites successfully
through the complex environmental and international legal minefield as the head specialist
for the entire Major Command.
Successfully preserved multi-million dollar international Air Force Space Command
programs, including the Space Shuttle and commercial space initiatives, from environmental
challenges under NEPA, RCRA, CERCLA, and the Clean Air Act.
Through extensive negotiations with state and federal environmental regulators and
international authorities, enabled the U.S. space program, including the space shuttle and
commercial use of space, to flourish while achieving and aggressively maintaining
environmental compliance.
Saved key NORAD missile defense and satellite programs from devastating injunctions in a
series of cases brought by national environmental NGOs under NEPA and the Endangered
Species Act, as well as on eminent domain/takings grounds.
Personally litigated and won a hotly contested labor case deemed hopeless by Headquarters
Air Force labor law experts, saving over $100,000.
Conceived, planned, implemented, and taught 2 highly innovative courses, in courtroom
techniques and in leadership/management, to highly positive reviews from the dozens of
attorneys and paralegals who attended.
Curriculum development included writing the entire moot court case file.
These courses became annual events because they were so popular and effective.
Chief Counsel, Major, Constitutional Torts and Tax, Headquarters General Litigation
Division, 1990-1992.
Unbroken string of victories in defending military members in dozens of Federal Bivens
constitutional tort actions.
Won complex federal cases involving highly significant First and Fifth Amendment issues.
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Selected as the most junior member of the high-level long-range planning team for the entire
Judge Advocate General‟s Department.
Instructor in Criminal Law, Captain, Air Force Judge Advocate General School, 1987-
1990.
As Editor-in-Chief of The Air Force Law Review, produced often-reprinted theme editions
on environmental law and tort litigation which quickly became the premier reference sources
for thousands of practitioners.
Innovative and effective teaching methods in criminal law, Federal evidence, criminal
procedure, and trial advocacy earned the Harrison Tweed Award for Special Merit in
Continuing Legal Education from American Law Institute/American Bar Association.
Performance of self-written summarizing songs for each lecture regularly drew standing
ovations from students.
Curriculum development included writing text materials in each topic, and, as Course
Director, planning, organizing, and conducting courses in trial skills and contracts law.
Wrote 3 complete moot court case files that are still used today in litigation and trial
advocacy courses.
Earned reputation as excellent teacher and public speaker, resulting in return as guest
instructor every year, 1990-present, for courses dealing with environmental law and trial
advocacy.
Prosecutor and Criminal Defense Attorney, Captain, 1985-1987.
Won more than 20 litigated Federal criminal cases, first as a prosecutor and then as defense
counsel.
Earned first-ever award in trial advocacy from New York Bar Association Committee on
Military Justice.
Selected for faculty position at Judge Advocate General‟s School at unprecedented early
stage of career.
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REFERENCES:
Professor David Rosenberg, Harvard Law School, Cambridge MA 02138 (617) 495-4558.
Jack L. Rives, American Bar Association Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer, 321
North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654 (312) 988-5225 (Chicago office), (202) 662-1795
(DC office), (312) 532-8350 (Cell).
Director Dharmendra Singh Sengar, Ph.D, Indian Law Institute, New Delhi, India, + 91-11-
23386321, e-mail: dsengar1@gmail.com.
Professor Scott Silliman, Duke University School of Law, Durham NC 27708 (919) 613-
7138.
Professor Arnold W. Reitze, Jr., George Washington University School of Law, Washington
DC 20052 (202) 994-6908.
Professor, Dean emeritus, and President emeritus Anthony J. Santoro, Roger Williams
University School of Law, 10 Metacom Avenue, Bristol RI 02809-5171 (401) 254-4633.
Dean Eugene Clark, Charlotte School of Law/Phoenix School of Law, 4041 North Central
Avenue, Phoenix AZ 85012 (602) 682-6814.
Michael Emerson, Chief, Military Personnel Law, Administrative Law Division, Office of
The Judge Advocate General, HQ USAF/JAA, 1420 Air Force Pentagon, Washington, DC
20330-1420, former Permanent Professor, USAF Academy (703) 644-1578.
Professor Richard I. Lester, Dean of Academic Affairs, Air University, Eaker College,
Maxwell Air Force Base AL 36112-6429 (334) 953-7058.
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