Richardson alumnus Julian Aguon ’09 named to 2026 TIME100 Next

HONOLULU, Hawaiʻi (Oct. 1, 2026) — Human rights lawyer and climate justice advocate Julian Aguon ’09 has been named to the 2026 TIME100 Next, TIME’s annual list recognizing 100 rising leaders shaping the future and defining the next generation of leadership.

Aguon was selected in the Innovators category for his groundbreaking work advancing climate justice and the rights of Pacific Island nations and communities. TIME100 Next recognizes individuals across five categories: Artists, Phenoms, Leaders, Advocates and Innovators.

In his TIME100 Next profile, Aguon is recognized for serving as lead counsel to the Republic of Vanuatu in the landmark climate proceedings before the International Court of Justice, which resulted in a unanimous 2025 advisory opinion on countries’ legal obligations to address climate change.

“It’s an honor to be included. And a little wild, if I’m gonna be honest,” says Aguon. “But it’s also heartening to see how wide their conception of influence is at TIME. I’m not the first from the climate justice movement to make the list, and I hope not to be the last. Climate change is the defining challenge of our time, and so we need every single light shone on it, with a view toward widening our collective vision and our sense of what is possible.”

A 2009 graduate of the William S. Richardson School of Law, Aguon is an internationally recognized human rights lawyer and founder of Blue Ocean Law, a law firm based in Guam that works across the Pacific on issues of self-determination, environmental justice and Indigenous rights.

The TIME100 Next recognition follows several major honors for Aguon and his work. In 2025, Aguon and the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change received the Right Livelihood Award for their efforts to bring the call for climate justice before the world’s highest court. The award, established in 1980, is internationally known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize.” William S. Richardson School of Law

“Julian Aguon’s recognition as a TIME100 Next 2026 honoree celebrates an international leader whose courageous advocacy has expanded our sense of what can be achieved by presciently harnessing the power of human rights, environmental justice, and Indigenous wisdom,” said Dean Camille Nelson. “For our students and community, he is an inspiring example of what is possible when excellence is fortified by conviction, compassion, and a profound sense of responsibility to others and the planet.”

Aguon has remained closely connected to his alma mater, most recently returning to Richardson for the Law School’s 50th Commencement Ceremony in May 2026. He delivered the commencement address and received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of Hawaiʻi in recognition of his contributions to human rights and climate justice.

His selection to the TIME100 Next further recognizes work rooted in the Pacific that has helped shape the global conversation around climate accountability and the role of law in confronting the climate crisis, while marking a proud moment for the Richardson community.

Read Julian Aguon’s TIME100 Next profile

---

About William S. Richardson School of Law

The William S. Richardson School of Law is a collaborative, multicultural community preparing students for excellence in the practice of law and related careers that advance justice and the rule of law. We develop highly qualified, ethical professionals through excellence in teaching, scholarship, and public service. We embrace Hawai‘i’s diversity and values and recognize a special responsibility to our state and the Pacific region.

MEDIA CONTACT

Collin Cedotal, Public Information Specialist
(808) 956-9391 | ccedotal@hawaii.edu