Environmental Law Practice: Skills, Methods, and Controversies: Seminar
Spring term, Block J
W 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Ms. Wendy Jacobs
2 classroom credits LAW -93025A Spring
2, 3, or 4 optional clinical credits LAW -93025C Spring
This seminar will focus on the actual practice of environmental law, introducing students to the practical skills necessary to effectively handle a variety of environmental cases and issues in and out of the courtroom. Students will gain an understanding of some of the statutes and rules applicable in environmental cases; an appreciation for the professional roles, values and ethics involved in the practice of environmental law; and an opportunity to develop practical lawyering skills and practice analytical techniques for the resolution of contemporary environmental challenges and problems. These skills will translate to other areas of legal practice, especially those that involve complicated regulatory schemes and transactional work.
The seminar is hands-on and group oriented. Most classes will involve discussions and exercises including analyses of scientific reports and laboratory data; drafting and negotiation of contracts; review of corporate reporting of environmental issues; drafting model rules; interviewing clients and experts; and, preparing testimony. Because the practice of environmental law is multi-disciplinary, students will work on the skills needed to hire, manage, work with, and resolve conflicts among scientists, engineers, economists, policy makers, business leaders, and other non-lawyers whose expertise is critical to legal cases and projects. Throughout the course, we will work on real and hypothetical matters. We will also hear from guest speakers who are leading experts in environmental law, policy, and economics. Each student will be responsible for leading class discussion at least once during the semester. In addition, students will be required to submit short weekly response papers on the readings, exercises, and class presentations. There is no final examination or paper for this course. Class evaluation will be based on the response papers and on preparation for and participation in class exercises and discussions.
The seminar will be limited to 20 students. Administrative Law or Environmental Law is a pre-requisite or co-requisite. Enrollment will occur during the Winter and Spring course registration on MyPlan from November 5-8, 2007. Students involved in clinical work through Professor Jody Freeman's Environmental Law course are encouraged to enroll.
This seminar will offer an optional clinical component in which students will spend ten, fifteen or twenty hours per week working on environmental cases/projects either at an offsite placement or within the Environmental Law & Policy Clinic (ELPC) itself. Students who wish to enroll in the seminar with a clinical component should participate in the Winter and Spring course registration on MyPlan from November 5-8, and select their preference for the clinical section of this seminar. Students who are enrolled in the clinical section are also automatically enrolled in the seminar.