JULIA OLSON (She/HER)

Co-Executive Director & Chief Legal Counsel

Julia founded Our Children’s Trust in 2010 and leads our programmatic work, including the development of cutting-edge legal strategies and program-driven communication campaigns that advance our mission.

Julia leads our legal efforts against the U.S. federal government and oversees and provides strategic support for our global and domestic programs.  She serves as lead counsel in Juliana v. United States, Genesis v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Lighthiser v. Trump. In 2016, Juliana made history when, for the first time, a court declared a constitutionally protected, climate-specific right—a historic ruling that has inspired courts around the world.

Julia is an accomplished speaker, sharing her story and unwavering commitment to children’s rights with audiences ranging from business leaders at Tiger21 to global forums such as We Don’t Have Time, created to influence world leaders on climate solutions. Julia is regularly quoted as a leading climate litigation expert in national and international media stories and featured in podcasts like The Daily of The New York Times. She is the author of several publications, including “Children’s Rights to a Life-Sustaining Climate: The Foundational Rule of Law to Achieve Sustainable Abundance for Humanity” (Northeastern University Law Review, 2023) and “Our Response to the Climate Crisis Will Determine Our Children’s Future” in The Next 25: A Collection of Essays on the Future of Human Rights for Article3.org in honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. She authors amicus briefs at the U.S. Supreme Court on the equal rights of children.

Julia has received numerous honors, including the Montana Trial Lawyers Association Public Service Award (2024), the Berkeley Law Environmental Leadership Award (2024), Katharine & George Alexander Law Prize (2022), Rose-Walters Prize for Global Activism (2018), and the Kerry Rydberg Award for Environmental Activism (2017). In 2023, TIME100Climate called her one of the world’s most influential leaders driving climate action following our historic win in Held v. Montana—the first constitutional climate trial in the United States. Julia became an Ashoka Fellow in 2025. 

Julia is a member of Rachel’s Network Circle of Advisors. She received her JD from University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly Hastings), and her BA from University of Colorado, Boulder. In 2025, Julia was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Vermont Law and Graduate School.