John Leshy, the Harry D. Sunderland Distinguished Professor of Real Property law, enjoys everything about teaching. Nationally known for his expertise in federal lands, natural resources, water, and American Indian Law, Leshy moves fluidly between academic, governmental, and nonprofit organizations, acquiring valuable experience that informs his teaching. 

After graduating from Harvard Law School, Leshy litigated civil rights cases for the United States Department of Justice out of Washington, D.C, and then moved to the Bay Area to work for the Natural Resources Defense Council. After another stint in Washington as the Interior Department’s associate solicitor for energy and resources, he begin his law teaching career at Arizona State University. In 1992, he returned to Washington as special counsel to the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee. Leshy then joined the Clinton administration as Interior Solicitor, becoming the second-longest serving solicitor in the department’s 160-year history. In 2008 Professor Leshy served on President Barack Obama's Interior Department transition team. 

A professor at Hastings since 2002, Leshy says, “Teaching gives me a wonderful opportunity to convey some of the lessons I‘ve learned in public service. What’s more, I’ve always found student perspective refreshing and challenging."