Sydney Speizman

Justice Catalyst Fellow

Sydney first joined EarthRights as a U.S. Legal Intern in summer 2021 and returned as a Justice Catalyst Fellow in fall 2023.

Prior to law school, Sydney served as Head of Engagement for Accountability Counsel. There, she supported communities around the world to protect their human rights and environment when they were threatened by internationally financed projects. This work fueled Sydney’s commitment to supporting community-led campaigns for environmental and climate justice by holding powerful actors accountable for human rights and environmental abuses.

During law school, Sydney was actively involved in Stanford’s Environmental Clinic, where she supported a coalition of tribes and community organizations to advocate for water justice in California’s Bay-Delta. She supported community-led advocacy against climate-destructive projects as an intern for EarthRights and Communities for a Better Environment, and she gained experience at the intersection of environmental and public health as an extern with the California Attorney General’s Environment and Land Use & Conservation sections. She holds a J.D. from Stanford Law School and a B.A. in public policy from Duke University.