Our Children’s Trust, Western Environmental Law Center, Gregory Law Group, and McGarvey Law are proud to announce that they have been awarded Public Justice’s 2025 Trial Lawyer of the Year Award for their landmark victory in Held v. State of Montana—the first constitutional climate case brought by youth to go to trial in the United States.
In March 2020, 16 young Montanans courageously filed a lawsuit against their state, challenging laws and policies that promote fossil fuel development, accelerate the climate crisis, and inflict direct harm on their health and futures. These laws, they argued, violate their constitutional rights to a clean and healthful environment, life, dignity, and freedom. The youth plaintiffs brought their claims to court to demand protection of their fundamental rights.
In a historic, groundbreaking 2024 decision, the Montana Supreme Court affirmed the district court’s ruling that struck down state laws prohibiting consideration of greenhouse gas emissions in fossil fuel permitting and laws barring constitutional remedies. The court ruled such statutes are unconstitutional, affirming that Montana must consider climate and public health impacts in its permitting decisions, explicitly recognizing the harm to children, and recognizing a fundamental right to a stable climate system.
The court wrote: “Montana’s right to a clean and healthful environment and environmental life support system includes a stable climate system, which is clearly within the object and true principles of the Framers inclusion of the right to a clean and healthful environment.”
Barbara Chillcott, Senior Attorney at the Western Environmental Law Center, said: “We are incredibly grateful to receive this recognition from Public Justice for our work to support these remarkable young plaintiffs in Held v. State of Montana. Our gratitude goes first to the courageous young Montanans who stepped into the spotlight and persevered through the challenges of litigation to fight for their generation’s future. We also thank the dedicated Montana and global experts whose contributions were instrumental in building the strongest possible case. This victory is just the beginning—we’re now focused on ensuring Montana fulfills its constitutional obligations so that we can all share in a livable future.”
Julia Olson, Chief Legal Counsel and Executive Director of Our Children’s Trust, said: “We are deeply honored and humbled to receive this award, which belongs first and foremost to the sixteen brave youth plaintiffs in Held v. Montana. Their courage in taking the stand and speaking truth to power helped secure a ruling that protects the rights of young people to a safe and stable climate. Young people have always led civil rights and social justice movements, and we’re proud to stand alongside them as they use the courts to protect their fundamental rights against governments who wield their power to harm children. They don’t win money, but they win back their rights to health, a safe environment, and their basic human dignity. This September, some of those same youth will be back in federal court in Montana as plaintiffs in Lighthiser v. Trump, challenging executive orders that expand fossil fuel development, suppress climate science, and endanger their right to life. We are carrying forward the momentum from Held at a time when the stakes could not be higher—to make sure no president or government can sacrifice children’s lives for fossil fuel power.”
The legal team includes:
- Barbara Chillcott and Melissa Hornbein of Western Environmental Law Center
- Julia Olson, Nate Bellinger, and Mat dos Santos of Our Children’s Trust
- Phil Gregory of Gregory Law Group
- Roger Sullivan of McGarvey Law
Together, this team and its brave youth plaintiffs secured a precedent-setting victory that affirms climate accountability under constitutional law and strengthens the rights of young people to demand protection from government-caused climate harm.
Some of the same young people have been joined by others to continue this work in Lighthiser v. Trump, a federal constitutional case in Montana that challenges the executive actions undermining climate science and expanding fossil fuel production. As in Held, the plaintiffs are youth demanding their government protect—not endanger—their fundamental rights.
Contacts:
Melissa Hornbein, Western Environmental Law Center, gro.w1753918130alnre1753918130tsew@1753918130niebn1753918130roh1753918130
Barbara Chillcott, Western Environmental Law Center, gro.w1753918130alnre1753918130tsew@1753918130ttocl1753918130lihc1753918130
Julia Olson, Chief Legal Counsel, Our Children’s Trust, 415.786.4825, gro.t1753918130surts1753918130nerdl1753918130ihcru1753918130o@ail1753918130uj1753918130
Helen Britto, Communications Associate Director, Our Children’s Trust 925.588.1171, Âgro1753918130.tsur1753918130tsner1753918130dlihc1753918130ruo@n1753918130eleh1753918130
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