Environmental Law

Overview

Environmental Law practice is relatively new. Since the 1970’s, hundreds of thousands of pages of regulations have been passed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal, state and local agencies. With so many regulations being passed, a wide variety of environmental issues such as disposal of hazardous waste, the transfer or sale of property that may be contaminated, and land protection are being resolved by environmental lawyers. Many environmental lawyers help guide businesses through the complicated process of obtaining the necessary permits and licenses from regulatory agencies to build or transfer industrial property, while taking into consideration the federal, state and local environmental laws. Others work in government or non-profits and focus on enforcing current laws and advocating for new ones.

Skills/Personality Characteristics

  • Have an interest in and understanding of science and the environment
  • Have excellent writing skills. Environmental law attorneys spend a significant amount of time drafting and editing written work. Writing skills can also be used to draft newsletters or manuals meaningful to community groups and clients
  • Have outstanding interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate with different sectors of society. This is especially beneficial to those who work in non-profit organizations
  • Have strong negotiation and oral advocacy skills
  • Have a creative approach to problem-solving. This area of law is constantly evolving and it is necessary to maintain an open mind and willingness to change your approach
  • Be detail-oriented: Much of environmental law is regulation-based, and many regulations contain extremely detailed scientific information and discussion that is typically not found in other primary sources like statutes and cases.

Where do environmental lawyers practice?

Environmental lawyers can work in government, law firms of all sizes, public interest organizations, and as in-house counsel. Some governmental agencies in which environmental lawyers work include the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Defense, the Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, state Attorneys General Offices, and state-level environmental agencies. Non-profit opportunities are also available with such organizations as the Environmental Defense Fund, the Sierra Club, and the Natural Resource Defense Council.

Selected Courses at Brandeis School of Law

These courses have been taught in the last two years and may or may not be on the schedule for the next academic year. If you are interested in a course listed here, but the course is not on the schedule, please see the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

  • Land Use and Planning Law
  • Real Estate Transactions
  • Administrative Law
  • Admiralty
  • Climate Change and the Law
  • Energy Law
  • Land and Ecosystem Conservation
  • Selected Issues in Land Law
  • Water Resources Law and Policy

Selected Faculty Who Teach in This Area

Craig Anthony (Tony) Arnold
Thomas J. FitzGerald

Student Organizations

  • Environmental Law and Land Use Society
  • Journal of Animal and Environmental Law
  • Environmental or Energy Law Moot Court

Public Service Placement Opportunities

  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Kentucky Waterways Alliance
  • Kentucky Resources Council
  • Public Service Commission

Professional Associations

  • National Association of Environmental Law Societies
  • Kentucky Bar Association Environmental, Energy, & Resources Law Section

Further suggested reading includes:

  • The Official Guide to Legal Specialties: an Insider’s Guide to Every Major Practice Area, NALP, from the OPD Library
  • The Environmental Resource Handbook (2008-2009), from the OPD Library
  • Green Law: Internships With Public Interest Environmental Organizations (2007), from the OPD Library
  • Careers in Natural Resources and Environmental Law, Luney, Percy R. (1987), from the Law Library