Stephanie Safdi is a Clinical Supervising Attorney and Lecturer in Law for the Stanford Environmental Law Clinic.  Stephanie trains and supervises clinical law students in the practice of public interest environmental lawyering.  In addition to working closely with students on legal writing, oral advocacy, and client engagement, Stephanie co-teaches the clinic’s seminars on substantive environmental law, environmental justice, client-centered lawyering, and other areas.

Stephanie brings diverse experience in environmental and land use law, energy law, and environmental justice to the clinical program.  Prior to joining Stanford, Stephanie served as Deputy County Counsel for the County of Santa Clara, where she advised the County Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Environmental Health, and Planning and Development Department and represented the County in proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission.  As a member of the Office of the County Counsel’s Social Justice and Impact Litigation team, Stephanie litigated the final stages of a landmark twenty-year public nuisance lawsuit against former manufacturers of lead paint, supported a multi-department team in implementing the countywide lead paint abatement remedy, and fought for protections from environmental toxins.  Stephanie additionally served as General Counsel for the County Emergency Operations Center for the County’s COVID-19 response and as legal advisor for wildfire recovery from the SCU Lightning Complex Fire.

Stephanie began her legal practice as an environmental law fellow at the public interest environmental law firm Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP, where she represented public agencies, community groups, and Indian tribes in state and federal court and in administrative proceedings, including before several state public utilities commissions.  Stephanie served as law clerk for Judge Michelle T. Friedland on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and for Chief Judge Ricardo S. Martinez on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.