Dwight H. Merriam is a lawyer and land-use planner. He received his B.A. (cum laude) in sociology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in 1968. He was then commissioned by the Navy and served as a surface warfare officer for three tours in Vietnam aboard the USS Kawishiwi (AO-146), returning stateside in 1972 to teach at the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Unit at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, as the senior advisor. He received his master of regional planning there in 1974 and left active duty in 1975 to attend Yale Law School, which awarded him a Juris Doctor in 1978. There he received the Ivan Meitus Prize for his research and writing in land-use law.

Following graduation from law school, Dwight created the land use group at Robinson & Cole llp, now a firm of more than 230 lawyers. The firm has more certified planners who are lawyers than any other law firm or consulting firm in the country. Robinson & Cole has more environmental and land-use professionals on staff as analysts than any other law firm. Its clients include international corporations, developers, land owners, governments, trade associations, and interest groups.

Dwight continued his career in the Navy as a reservist, holding two commands and eventually retiring as a Captain after 30 years of active and reserve duty.

Dwight is a former director of the 34,000-member American Planning Association and a former president of the 11,000-member American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). He is a Fellow of AICP, a Counselor of Real Estate, and a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers. He is coeditor of Inclusionary Zoning Moves Downtown and coauthor of The Takings Issue. Dwight has written over 175 professional articles and has given hundreds of lectures here and abroad.  He has appeared on the Today show, CNBC and public television.

Dwight has taught land-use law in planning and law schools for 26 years and is currently a member of the adjunct faculty at Vermont Law School.