Table of Contents

Introduction







2


Chapter 1 - Lay of the Land





4
Issue Areas & Practice Settings


Chapter 2 - Consulting Experts




12
Alumni Narratives


Chapter 3 - Training for the Journey



20
Environmental Law at Harvard
(Classes, Clinicals, and Camaraderie)


Chapter 4 - Help Along the Way




31
The Job Process and OPIA Support


Chapter 5 - Blazing a Path





35
A Directory of Fellowships and Organizations

1
Harvard Law School’s Environmental Trail Guide
Introduction


When considering a career in any area, one faces the question: “What are my
options?” The field of environmental law offers professional choices and opportunities
that can be remarkably diverse and satisfying for the public interest lawyer. Initially,
environmental legal issues were addressed primarily through common law negligence,
nuisance and property lawsuits, and to a lesser degree through a limited number of
federal, state and local laws controlling land and water usage. Environmental law as
practiced today, however, has much of its basis in federal environmental statutes enacted
within the past thirty-five years aimed at managing humankind’s interaction with the
environment.

Environmental laws are designed to limit pollution and ensure the preservation of
natural resources and habitats. Federal, state and local governments achieve these goals
through statutes, administrative regulations, administrative agency decisions and policy
initiatives. Some major federal environmental laws include:
• The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which requires a study
(Environmental Impact Study [EIS]) for activities that involve federal funding
or require permits from federal agencies and which have a significant impact
on the environment.
• Clean Air and the Clean Water Acts, which regulate the release of pollutants
into the air and water.
• The Resource Conservation and Recovery and the Toxic Substances Control
Acts, which place limits on hazardous substances.
• The Endangered Species Act, which designates and protects species on the
verge of extinction. Such federal statutes generally require state
implementation, and states often enact state law counterparts to federal
environmental laws.


Despite nontrivial legislative grounding, environmental law is not limited to
environmental statutes and regulations–it cuts across many different fields and legal
disciplines including corporate law, contract and commercial law, administrative law,
constitutional law, property law, bankruptcy law, criminal law, food and drug law, land
use planning law, and international law.

The focus on environmental protection creates somewhat unique challenges for
legal advocates in the field. Public interest environmental attorneys’ traditional clients are
government entities, community groups and nonprofit organizations, though occasionally
they represent non-traditional clients such as wildlife, endangered species, ecosystems
and natural landmarks. Furthermore, in addition to litigating traditional disputes
involving direct personal injuries, environmental advocates also litigate non-traditional
disputes: defending nature, asserting aesthetic values and challenging the legitimacy of
public policies and programs. Due to the non-traditional nature of the practice,
environmental lawyers often face jurisdictional hurdles such as standing, mootness and
ripeness in advocating for environmental protection.

Another distinctive aspect of the practice is the role of science in environmental
advocacy. Many would-be environmental attorneys are intimidated by environmental law


2
due to the perception that the practice requires expertise in the sciences. Indeed,
environmental lawyers often work alongside scientists in order to provide complete,
effective representation to their clients. But this specialization and collaboration allows
scientists to concentrate on the science and lawyers to concentrate on the law. Most
environmental practitioners agree that the key to the successful practice of environmental
law is the mastery of fundamental lawyering skills–negotiation, litigation, research and
writing–skills important to the practice of law in any field.
For many practitioners, the
client is really “the public”
at large, whether we are
representing a state or
federal agency or bringing
impact litigation at a
nonprofit organization. The
practice of environmental
law may not have much in
the way of direct client
contact, but it often gives us
the feeling that we are
representing interests
broader than a small group
of individuals – and, for me,
that’s a big part of what
“public interest” law is all
about.
Mark Sabath ‘03

Of course, environmental practice can involve a substantial amount of litigation.
Environmental lawyers often practice before federal, state and administrative law courts–
representing government environmental agencies, enforcing environmental laws through
citizen suits, challenging agency action in administrative
hearings and so on. But the practice of environmental
law requires attorneys to serve as advocates in a
multitude of arenas. In addition to litigation,
environmental practice also involves lobbying
government officials, coordinating community education
and outreach, and participating in the regulatory
rulemaking process. Environmental attorneys can also
be involved in business and property transactions and
land conservation. For example, the Nature Conservancy
and the Trust for Public Land concentrate a great deal of
effort on property purchase and sale, and the National
Environmental Trust has lawyers on its staff who work
almost exclusively on federal policy issues.

As is the case with nearly any practice, attorneys
must grapple with serious ethical questions surrounding
the impact of certain protections. In environmental
work, competing human interests regarding issues such
as distribution of environmental risk, loss of jobs, and
access to natural resources for subsistence purposes are only a few of the conflicts that
attorneys must address.

These are complicated, ongoing dilemmas, and environmental attorneys tackle
them daily in their work. This guide provides an introduction to this fascinating field of
legal practice–offering a glimpse into the options available to the public interest
environmental law practitioner. In the pages to follow, you will find a summary of legal
content and practice areas in the field, personal narratives of Harvard alumni and
students, referrals to relevant coursework dedicated to the environment, and information
on environmental law opportunities and resources.

A career in environmental law offers invaluable professional rewards and unique
intellectual challenges. Hopefully this Trail Guide serves as a useful introduction to this
fascinating area of legal practice.
3
Harvard Law School’s Environmental Trail Guide
Chapter 1: Issue Areas and Practice Settings

ISSUE AREAS

Since environmental law cuts across many areas of the law and continues to evolve and
expand, the following listing of content areas is by no means exhaustive. Still, in an effort
to provide a brief introduction to the practice, this section discusses five major content
areas of environmental practice–pollution control, natural resources law, land use law,
environmental justice, and international environmental law. Because many
environmental offices practice in a variety of areas, the following content distinctions do
not necessarily correspond to discrete practice settings.

Pollution Control

Modern environmental law evolved from federal environmental statutes aimed at limiting
pollution and regulating hazardous substances. In representing the government,
environmental lawyers develop, implement and enforce these laws. Environmental
advocates outside of the government perform similar tasks on behalf of private citizens,
enforcing the laws through citizen suits, challenging regulations in administrative courts
and developing environmentally protective pollution laws through legislative advocacy
and regulatory work.

Natural Resources Law

Natural resources laws govern the extraction and use of various resources such as water,
minerals, and timber; the protection of wildlife and their habitat; and the use of public
lands such as national forests, parks and protected areas. Lawyers practicing in this field
play the same role as lawyers handling pollution control matters. There are opportunities
for practice in offices which handle natural resources matters exclusively, such as the
Conservation Law Foundation, the Audubon Society or the Department of the Interior,
but most environmental organizations offer services in multiple content areas.

Land Use Law

Land use law focuses on the permissible uses of land. Land use law involves many
issues related to development and the use of open lands such as zoning, subdivision
regulation, residential patterns, incompatible uses of land, suburban development, sprawl
and city planning. In the environmental context, land use law introduces concerns such
as the protection of natural and scenic resources, the preservation of lands with ecological
value and the maintenance of biodiversity. Environmental attorneys practicing in this
field may work for state and local governments enforcing local land use laws and
defending permitting decisions; in public interest organizations representing
environmental interests in all stages of land use planning; and in private firms
challenging permitting decisions or advising nonprofit and government developers.
Some environmental offices specialize in land use matters, such as the Trust for Public


4
Land and the Bureau of Land Management within the U.S. Department of the Interior,
and many environmental organizations handle land use law matters as a part of a larger
practice.

Environmental Justice

Environmental justice addresses the distribution of environmental benefits and burdens.
Environmental lawyers operate under several bodies of law, such as civil rights law,
environmental law, land use law and tort law, while working to protect low income and
minority communities from unfair environmental burdens. Environmental lawyers in
government offices handle environmental justice on both the affirmative and defensive
side–defending permitting decisions or suing corporations for environmental abuses; in
public interest organizations, representing communities through litigation, community
organizing, public education and legislative advocacy, often with a focus on community
empowerment; in private firms, representing communities in class action litigation
involving civil rights, environmental and toxic torts claims. Some government offices,
such as the EPA, have special offices dedicated to environmental justice matters. There
are a growing number of environmental justice advocacy organizations such as
Communities for a Better Environment and Alternatives for Community and
Environment, and some environmental groups such as Earthjustice are beginning to
create environmental justice sections and take on a growing number of environmental
justice cases in their regular practice.

International Environmental Law

International environmental law is another fast-growing area of environmental law, one
that manifests itself through treaties, international agreements, negotiations and laws.
These laws seek to address environmental problems on a global scale. Some major
international environmental instruments include:
• The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movement of
Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
• The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
• The Convention on Biological Diversity
• The Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change

International environmental instruments are negotiated with the input of government
representatives, inter-governmental organizations such as the United Nations
Environment Programme, non-government organizations such as the World Wildlife
Fund, scientists and businesses. Once negotiated, the instruments must be implemented
on the domestic level by participating nations. International environmental law is also a
broad-reaching field of law, involving many crosscutting legal issues such as trade,
human rights, finance, national security, the management of multi-national corporations,
the international application of domestic law and population growth.

5
Harvard Law School’s Environmental Trail Guide
PRACTICE SETTINGS

With an increased concern about environmental protection in the U.S. and abroad and the
resulting development of environmental law, work for environmental lawyers has
expanded in the past few decades. This section provides general background information
on three different settings in which public interest environmental lawyers practice —
government, nonprofit organizations, and firms. It also profiles three organizations that
exemplify federal government and nonprofit work in environmental law.

Government
A multitude of opportunities exist for environmental lawyers in government practice.
Environmental lawyers represent and advise government entities at all levels of
government in the U.S. — federal, state, local, and international.

Federal
On the federal level, environmental attorneys serve in a variety of government offices,
providing general counsel to environmental agencies, developing environmental policies,
litigating both affirmative and defensive cases on behalf of the government and
developing environmental legislation, regulations and implementation standards.
Attorneys in the legal departments or general counsel offices of federal agencies focus
primarily on the development and implementation of environmental laws and policies.
Litigation is not the main focus of the practice in these offices, although attorneys do
represent the agencies regularly in administrative proceedings and serve as second-chair
with Department of Justice (DOJ) attorneys in environmental litigation involving
specialized areas of law. Examples of such offices include the Office of the General
Counsel for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is responsible for
establishing and enforcing the nation’s pollution control laws; the Office of the Solicitor
for the Department of the Interior, which manages the country’s natural resources and its
relationship with Indian tribes; and the Office of the General Counsel for the United
States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Division, which governs
agricultural production on farms and forests throughout the United States.

The Department of Justice handles much of the federal government’s environmental
litigation. DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) employs
hundreds of attorneys to represent the federal government in a range of areas including
enforcement of the nation’s pollution control and wildlife protection laws, defense of
agency regulations and decisions, management of public lands and natural resources,
litigation of Indian rights and claims, and acquisition of land by eminent domain. The
work of ENRD attorneys involves practice primarily in the federal courts handling
affirmative and defensive litigation on behalf of other federal agencies, and advising
agencies on the litigation impacts of their policy decisions. ENRD attorneys rarely
practice in administrative courts or state courts. In some instances, ENRD refers cases to
and coordinates efforts with United States Attorney Offices.



6
Environmental attorneys also serve the legislative branch of the federal government,
advising individual legislators and working for legislative committees that draft
environmental legislation and exercise oversight of federal environmental agencies.

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE—
ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT SECTION
The Environmental Enforcement Section employs a staff of
about 150 attorneys who handle civil cases across the
country pertaining to federal laws such as the Clean Air
Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Oil
Pollution Act, RCRA and the Superfund law. Staff attorneys
in this section, like Mark Sabath ’03, typically travel on
average once per month, mainly for depositions. The work,
which is policy-based, consists of representing both the
EPA and federal agencies on behalf of American taxpayers
for cases of both national and local relevance. Mark, who
served as a paralegal at ENRD before entering HLS,
appreciates both the people at DOJ with whom he works and
the resources the federal government has to offer its
employees. For law students interested in the environment,
Mark recommends Environmental Law, Administrative Law, and
any class or workshop that develops negotiating, a skill
set on which he often relies in managing cases since they
are likely to be settled outside of a courtroom.

State
States are largely responsible for the implementation of federal environmental laws, and
most states have their own parallel systems of environmental protection. While
environmental laws and environmental protection systems vary by state, most states have
similar opportunities for environmental lawyers.

In addition to practicing in state environmental agencies, attorneys also serve in
environmental sections of state attorney general offices. In these offices, attorneys work
on behalf of the state and/or the state environmental protection agency. The legal practice
in these offices may involve defending the actions of state actors, initiating impact
litigation, advising state agencies on environmental policies, advising and lobbying the
legislature, developing environmental laws and regulations, coordinating public
education efforts and enforcing environmental laws. Attorneys may also be found in the
environmental divisions of district attorneys’ offices, state executive offices and on state
legislative committees.

Local
Local governments also have agencies and laws focused on environmental protection. In
addition to their environmental protection duties, local governments generally preside
over land use planning and zoning, wetlands and local conservation areas. Environmental
attorneys represent and advise these local environmental entities. Local governments also
employ environmental attorneys in the city/county attorney’s offices, in units such as the
Land Use and Environmental Law Division of Florida’s Broward County Attorney’s
Office or the Environmental Law Division of New York City’s Corporation Counsel’s
7
Harvard Law School’s Environmental Trail Guide
Office; and in sections of local district attorney’s offices, such as the Consumer and
Environmental Protection Division of California’s Alameda County District Attorney’s
Office. Of course, many local government bodies do not have the resources or need to
employ attorneys full time for environmental issues, so that work may be outsourced to a
firm, or a local government attorney may cover environmental issues in addition to other
responsibilities.

Advantages of practice in a government agency include the interesting, cutting-edge
subject matter of the cases; responsibility and experience offered early in one’s career;
structured supervision; access to scientists and experts; and the abundance and security of
jobs. On the other hand, disadvantages include dealing with inefficient bureaucracy;
working with limited support staff and office resources; and being bound by government
policies which may be environmentally unsound. Government work varies in terms of
the influence of the elected officials. According to Mark Sabath ’03, “In some places, it
makes all the difference who the president or the governor is; in others, it barely
registers.”

International
As governments negotiate more agreements and develop and enforce environmentally
protective laws, more opportunities for environmental lawyers arise. International
lawyers participate in a range of activities such as influencing public education,
participating in international negotiations, developing environmental laws throughout the
world, lobbying governments on environmental initiatives, testifying before
Congressional committees, coordinating with environmental groups abroad, litigating on
behalf of indigenous peoples in other countries and litigating before international
tribunals. Environmental lawyers practice international law work in government offices
such as the Department of State and the EPA, in international environmental
organizations such as the Center for International Environmental Law and the
Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide, and in domestic environmental advocacy
groups such as Earthjustice and NRDC. The scope of content and range of practice
settings varies widely for international environmental law; attorneys handle cases that
range from trade and sustainable development to climate change and global warming.

Nonprofit Organizations

A substantial amount of environmental advocacy work takes place within nonprofit
public interest organizations. The sources of funding generally available to these
organizations include membership revenue, private foundation grants, publication sales,
government funding, corporate grants and attorney fee awards. Public interest
organizations also get assistance in the form of in-kind pro bono services and reduced fee
services from private law firms. Law firm assistance, however, is limited due to conflicts
of interest with law firm clients and the time-consuming nature of environmental
litigation.

Some organizations, such as Earthjustice and the Natural Resources Defense Council
(NRDC), focus exclusively on environmental issues whereas other organizations, such as


8
New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, handle some environmental cases or have
environmental divisions. Environmental groups are generally either nationwide, like
Environmental Defense or the National Audubon Society, or regional, like New
England’s Conservation Law Foundation or Florida’s Legal Environmental Assistance
Foundation. Many national groups do have regional offices throughout the country.

Practice in public interest organizations may involve a broad range of activities including
impact litigation, administrative representation, legislative advocacy, public education,
public relations, community organizing and reporting on environmental issues. For the
most part, these organizations do not serve the traditional individual client. Public interest
organizations often represent their membership, other non-litigating environmental
groups and plaintiffs that the groups identify as appropriate litigants. Environmental
advocates carefully choose plaintiffs for impact litigation cases in hopes of meeting strict
requirements for standing, because failure to do so could block worthy cases from
adjudication.

The advantages of working in a public interest organization are the sense of satisfaction
in striving for the public good; a shared sense of mission with co-workers; a less formal
office culture; and superior training in litigation and advocacy. Because most public
interest organizations are leanly staffed, an attorney tends to have more decision-making
freedom early in their career, control over one’s caseload, and a diversity of
responsibilities. The flip side of a leanly staffed office is limited support and resources
and lower salary and benefits.

Some in the for-profit world perceive nonprofits as slow-paced and inefficient. This is not
necessarily the case. Though there are people who don’t take the work seriously in
particular organizations, if you examine your potential places of employment carefully,
you will find some of the most dedicated and efficient staff anywhere. Like in any type of
organization, there is wide variation in the settings and effectiveness of nonprofits.

NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL
NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is a national,
nonprofit organization of scientists, lawyers and
environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public
health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has more
than 500,000 members nationwide and offices in New York,
Washington, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

NRDC’s programs address environmental issues including:
clean air and energy; global warming; clean water and
oceans; wildlife and fish; parks, forests and wildlands;
toxic chemicals and health; nuclear weapons and waste;
cities and green living; and environmental legislation.
NRDC provides a wide range of legal services including
litigation, public education and legislative advocacy.

Jeff Baran ‘01 worked as an intern in NRDC’s Washington,
D.C. office during the summer of 2000. During the
internship, Jeff worked on a case challenging the EPA’s
issuance of a pollutant discharge permit under the Clean
9
Harvard Law School’s Environmental Trail Guide
Water Act in connection with timbering in the Tongass
National Forest, as well as Alaska’s approval of that
permit. Jeff’s primary responsibilities for this project
involved legal research and the preparation of memoranda on
various issues of administrative, state, and federal
statutory law. Jeff also participated in strategy
conference calls with other members of the legal team for
that case. He also worked in NRDC’s Health Program,
analyzing numerous documents obtained through requests
under the Freedom of Information Act for information
pertaining to the implementation by states of Safe Water
Drinking Act standards.

Jeff, who was one of four legal interns at NRDC during the
summer of 2000, particularly appreciated the open-door
policy of his supervisors and enjoyed working in NRDC’s
comfortable yet professional atmosphere. As a summer
intern, Jeff’s learning experience was enhanced through
participation in brown-bag lunches, which involved
presentations by both NRDC staff members and others in
environmental fields, including employees of the EPA, DOJ
and other nonprofit organizations. Ultimately, Jeff found
his internship most valuable in providing hands-on
experience working for a nonprofit organization with a
national scope, a broad membership base, and a wide array
of environmental programs that combine science, law, and
policy.

NEW YORK LAWYERS FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST—ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI) is a
nonprofit public interest law firm founded in 1976. Staff
attorneys engage in community lawyering, including advocacy
and test case litigation, in the areas of disability,
health, education and environmental law on behalf of low
income communities and communities of color.

Launched in 1993, NYLPI’s Environmental Justice and
Community Development Project seeks to address these
problems through an innovative strategy that offers legal
assistance and community organizing resources to
environmentally distressed neighborhoods. Partnerships
include the Task Force on Community Based Planning (a group
formed to help shape platform policies for NYC public
office candidates), the New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation (a state-wide environmental
justice department that NYLPI advises), and the
Labor/Community Advocacy Network (a coalition focused on
the responsible, environmentally-friendly rebuilding of
lower Manhattan after 9/11).

In addition to this organizational collaboration, the Pro
Bono Clearinghouse of NYLPI refers the cases of low-income
residents of NYC to over 80 member firms and corporate
legal departments that engage in pro bono work. More
information about the Environmental Justice Community


10
Development Project at NYLPI can be found at:
http://stage.nylpi.org/area_4.html

Firms

There are a limited number of small private law firms that handle affirmative
environmental cases. Although some of these firms dedicate their practice solely to
environmental law, most handle environmental law as one of several divisions within the
firm. Typically, these firms specialize in representing plaintiffs and finance their practice
with contingency fees and attorney’s fees from successful lawsuits. Some firms, however,
focus their practice on representing nonprofit organizations, local civic groups, and local
government agencies, thereby following a traditional billable hours fee structure. Practice
in these firms can involve almost any area of environmental law including land use
planning and zoning work, water law, natural resources conservation and toxic torts.

At a corporate firm, rare opportunities exist to represent state and local entities in
environmental matters. For example, states will often hire corporate firms to represent
them in complex litigation, including complex environmental litigation. Other
opportunities exist to represent counties and municipalities, municipal planning
organizations (MPOs), and special districts such as regional transportation and water
planning districts. These organizations often require legal assistance, both in litigation
and in compliance and planning matters. Although this work can be highly rewarding, it
is difficult to find. More typically, a private environmental practice will center on
environmental permitting and compliance counseling, transactional due diligence, toxic
tort defense, cost-recovery and remediation litigation, and the defense of citizen-suit
claims and other litigation. Most full-service firms will handle a variety of such matters,
and most associates will find it difficult to control the work they accept.

The advantages of working in a private public interest firm include maintaining a closer
connection to a public interest mission while getting the advantages of any firm, which
are typically: earning potential, access to support and resources, and a high degree of
professionalism. The disadvantages of working in a for-profit environment include the
need to balance public interest goals with fiscal objectives and the possibility of
managing non-environmental cases in order to meet those goals. In large corporate firms
disadvantages include notoriously long hours and very limited control over one’s work
(especially as a younger associate).



11
Harvard Law School’s Environmental Trail Guide
Chapter 2: Alumni Narratives

Now that representative issue areas, practice settings, and a few organizational profiles
have been presented, it is time to hear from experienced environmental lawyers who have
worked in a wide range of professional contexts. Learning about the adventures of those
who have gone before you is a great way to visualize your own destination and how you
may get there.

ELIZABETH BIRNBAUM ‘84
GENERAL COUNSEL AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
AMERICAN RIVERS


As I write this summary of my career experiences, I happen to be watching the
U.S. Senate debate a pivotal issue affecting rivers, community safety, and fish and
wildlife across the United States–the future policies governing project planning and
construction by the Army Corps of Engineers. After working on this issue for about 6
years, if the vote goes well we will be drinking champagne. There is no question that I
find my work at American Rivers, where I work daily to influence policy decisions like
this, more satisfying than the short time I spent at a private law firm immediately after
leaving law school.

I have been working on environmental issues for nearly 20 years–I started just
about 3 years out of law school, after a year clerking for the Supreme Court of Colorado
and two years as an associate at a big D.C. law firm. I now serve as the Vice President
for Government Affairs and General Counsel for American Rivers, a medium-sized
national conservation group.

After law school, I turned to private practice as the easiest and most obvious
choice. I wanted to try litigation, but I selected a firm that did not have an environmental
practice, because I did not want to represent corporate polluters. After just two years in
the firm, however, I knew that law firm practice was not appealing to me. My first job in
the environmental field was as the Water Resources Counsel for the National Wildlife
Federation. This is the only position I’ve ever held in my legal career for which I had no
advance contacts–I simply answered an ad in the Washington Post. The combination of
my strong academic record on environmental work and my litigation experience at the
firm was what earned me this job–it was a litigating position, and litigation experience
was important. On the other hand, NWF gave me far more responsibility in litigation at
an earlier point in my career than I would have ever had at the firm–I argued a case in the
D.C. Circuit less than 5 years out of law school.

Although litigation at NWF, where I cared about the outcome of cases, was far
more satisfying than law firm litigation had been, I was drawn more toward policy issues.
I spent seven and a half years on Capitol Hill and the last two years of the Clinton
Administration working as a political appointee, as Special Assistant to the Solicitor and
as Associate Solicitor for Mineral Resources in the Department of the Interior. On the
Hill, I worked on a wide range of public lands and water issues, with special emphasis on
water and power issues, Fifth Amendment “takings” issues, the Endangered Species Act
and the National Environmental Policy Act. All of this work was very strongly policy-


12
oriented; though my legal skills informed my work, I focused on appropriate public
policy and legislation. My work at the Interior Department provided a wonderful
combination of legal and policy work, as the Solicitor’s office is principally responsible
for providing legal advice to the Secretary, but at the political level it interacts strongly
with the Department’s policy decisions as well.

Upon leaving the Department of the Interior, I took a position with American
Rivers, which has developed into the vice presidency that I now hold. The combination
of my background in substantive work on water policy issues, congressional staff
experience, and legal training has provided an outstanding basis for my current position.

The biggest downside in my present career is regular frustration with the
Congress and the current Administration. But the rewards are enormous: an opportunity
to influence the actual policies that affect on-the-ground natural assets throughout the
country; the chance to develop in-depth knowledge about substantive environmental
issues; alliances and friendships with numerous other advocates, both with environmental
concerns and with other concerns that join ours at times; and a strong sense that I look
forward to going to work in the morning (a sense that I did not have in law firm practice).

BARBARA A. FINAMORE ‘80
SENIOR ATTORNEY AND CHINA PROGRAM DIRECTOR
NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL, INC.

My trail to a fulfilling environmental legal career has not always been discernible. I
have often stumbled, gotten lost or been forced to blaze a new path where there was none.
But the result has been a varied and exciting career that I wouldn’t change for anything.
I came to HLS armed with an environmental studies degree and dreams of working
for a group like the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), but left after a year
because of the school’s heavy emphasis on corporate law and lack of support for public
interest work (there was no OPIA at the time). I returned after a year only to find even
summer jobs in environmental law difficult to obtain for those without previous
experience. I chose volunteer work–at the Conservation Law Foundation, the
Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the Environmental Defense Fund–as a way
to get my foot in the door. This led to a wonderful job after graduation in the U.S.
Department of the Interior Solicitor’s Office Honors Program - which only lasted six
months, at which time the entire Honors Program was abolished by the newly appointed
Secretary, James Watt.
This abrupt departure proved to be a blessing in disguise as I was able to land a job
with NRDC, which rarely hires new attorneys but somehow considered me an
experienced one. I was immediately thrown into full-time litigation for the next four
years as an attorney for NRDC’s nuclear program. My greatest achievement was a
landmark victory requiring all U.S. nuclear weapons production facilities to comply with
federal and state hazardous waste laws. This led the U.S. Department of Energy to
establish its $6 billion-a-year program managing radioactive waste and the cleanup of 50
years of environmental contamination caused by nuclear weapons production in the
United States.
My career path was again interrupted by marriage to a U.S. Foreign Service
diplomat, which has involved eight overseas moves in the last thirteen years as well as
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Harvard Law School’s Environmental Trail Guide
three children. With a great deal of patience, flexibility and persistence, however, I have
managed to turn this situation to my advantage and developed a new specialty in
international environmental law.
During my first stay in Moscow, I helped to implement an agreement between
NRDC and the Soviet Academy of Sciences regarding nuclear testing verification in
Kazakhstan. In Beijing, I trained Chinese judges in environmental law and, as a
consultant to the United Nations Development Programme, advised the Chinese
government on the preparation and implementation of its Agenda 21 plan for sustainable
development in the next century. During a second tour in Moscow, I worked for the
Center for International Environmental Law on a U.S. AID-sponsored project to establish
a U.S.-Russian Environmental Law Task Force.
I returned to NRDC and nuclear litigation in 1996 and worked to reach a settlement
of a ten-year lawsuit under which the Department of Energy agreed to establish a $6.25
million fund to enable citizen organizations to independently monitor its radioactive and
hazardous waste cleanup activities. But my mind was still on international affairs, and I
convinced NRDC to allow me to raise funds to establish and direct a new Clean Energy
Program in China. When I moved again last summer, this time to Taiwan, NRDC
generously agreed to keep me on as their first long-term overseas employee.
Thanks to the wonders of modern technology and frequent travel, I am able to work
effectively with a far-flung group of colleagues in New York, Washington, D.C., San
Francisco, Beijing and Chongqing, China’s largest city. We are working to demonstrate
and promote action in China to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and address the
threat of global climate change. A typical day could find me sending emails or writing
fundraising proposals in my home office, touring a coal-belching fertilizer plant in rural
China, or meeting with energy officials in a candlelit office in Beijing during one of its
frequent power outages. As I work to make the China program grow, I can’t imagine a
more fulfilling way to spend my time - but who knows what will happen next!

Caroline Wehling ‘85
OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

I joined the Office of the General Counsel in the Environmental Protection Agency
during the summer of 1985, just a few months after graduation from HLS. Since I knew
before coming to law school that I wanted to pursue a career in environmental protection,
choosing EPA as my first full-time legal job was both natural and easy. I had worked
during the past summers for Mass PIRG (Boston), Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund
(Washington, D.C. and Juneau), and the Save the Dunes Council (Porter County,
Indiana). Private sector employment was never a serious option, as far as I was
concerned.
However, despite the fact that the EPA had been my first choice for post-law school
employment, I really had no preconceived notions as to what the job of attorney at the
EPA would be like; it was the substantive work that drew me. Fortunately, I can’t now
think of a job I’d like more, or a more exciting and challenging environmental law career,
especially for a new attorney.


14
The opportunity to
contribute to critical
policy initiatives in
environmental programs
is probably the most
exciting part of this job,
and, indeed, is the
reason why I’m here.
Caroline Wehling ‘85
First, a word about the job itself. Attorneys in the Office of General Counsel (OGC)
function very much like in-house counsel anywhere else. Our primary purpose is to
advise our clients on what legal requirements they face as they do their jobs and the legal
risks of proposed courses of action and to defend the Agency against any legal actions
taken against it. Who are our “clients?” At the EPA, our clients are the Administrator and
everyone else in the Agency who is responsible for
implementing programs under a variety of environmental
laws, including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act,
and Superfund. These include engineers, scientists,
economists, enforcement attorneys, program managers,
and political appointees. What are the “legal
requirements?” The legal requirements with which the
EPA must comply include the mandates and limitations in
each of the environmental statutes, the EPA’s own
regulations, and the Administrative Procedure Act.
I would estimate that about 80% of my job entails
providing such “counseling” services and information to the clients, as well as a wide
variety of outside parties with questions about the EPA’s programs, such as
Congressional committees, private attorneys, state officials, and members of the press.
In some ways, though, the counseling aspects of the job are much broader than
providing legal analysis and information. At the EPA, attorneys are assigned work on
particular statutes; for instance, I work primarily on issues under the Safe Drinking Water
Act. Because we spend all of our time, day in and day out, on particular programs at the
EPA, as a practical matter, OGC attorneys become “experts” on those programs and are
often key players in any significant developments in those areas. I do not confine myself
to providing purely legal advice; my job is to help my clients to implement the program
for which they are responsible, so I also provide any advice I can, including advice on
political implications and policy alternatives. The opportunity to contribute to critical
policy initiatives in environmental programs is probably the most exciting part of this job,
and, indeed, is the reason why I’m here.
The other 20% of my job involves litigation where the EPA is the defendant. About
80% of our rules are challenged by industry or environmental groups, and the EPA
operates under hundreds of statutory deadlines, which are generally enforceable by
citizen suit when we fail to meet them. As a result, we have a very large defensive
litigation workload. We work with attorneys from the Department of Justice on this
litigation writing briefs, responding to discovery, and arguing cases in district or appellate
federal courts.
Finally, as a result of our expertise, OGC attorneys, both staff and managers, are
often invited to speak at conferences or on televised programs on the legal aspects of the
programs in which they specialize. For the same reason, OGC attorneys often participate
in the frequent Congressional oversight hearings on EPA programs.
The challenging and exciting subject matter with which I am involved is only one
reason why I love this job. The people I work with are also part of the benefits of work at
the EPA. My clients in the drinking water program are dedicated, enthusiastic, creative,
and fun to work with. My fellow OGC attorneys, including the few managing attorneys,
are equally committed, supportive, and have a great sense of humor. As an attorney, I
15
Harvard Law School’s Environmental Trail Guide
also appreciate the independence with which I am able to work here at the EPA. We have
few levels of management in OGC, and staff attorneys, from the first day of work, have
their own clients and are expected to handle legal issues arising in their subject matter
area with a high degree of independence and individual responsibility.
In addition, much maligned as federal bureaucrats are, there are definite intangible
benefits of being a government worker. There is a sense of contribution to the country’s
needs, to the improvement of the environment, the nation and the world, which comes
with the job. The pride that comes with dedicated service to the community would be
hard to find in the private sector. I guess that’s why, after more than thirteen years, I’m
still here and I still love it.

BERN JOHNSON ‘87
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW ALLIANCE WORLDWIDE

As Executive Director of the U.S. office of the Environmental Law Alliance
Worldwide (E-LAW U.S.), I work to protect the global environment. I have long been
convinced that we need to take better care of our planet. So I sought work that would
allow me to act on that conviction. Working to defend the environment is enormously
rewarding. I am thrilled to be paid for that work.
E-LAW links leading public interest environmental lawyers in more than 50
countries around the world. Working outside of the government in their home countries,
these lawyers work to strengthen and enforce laws that protect the environment. E-LAW
U.S. collaborates with these advocates and helps them tap the legal, scientific and
organizational resources they need. I help lawyers challenge environmental abuses, such
as a factory in South Africa that was using outdated, polluting equipment. I help lawyers
work to strengthen laws protecting the environment, such as adding language protecting
biodiversity to Peru’s constitution. I help lawyers enforce environmental laws, such as the
Israeli lawyers who brought a suit to end illegal toxic discharges into the Kishon River. I
also help lawyers around the world get the resources and skills they need to build strong,
sustainable organizations that will defend the environment for years to come.
I direct a staff of eight people in the E-LAW U.S. office, which sits on the bank of
the Willamette River in Eugene, Oregon. As a small, nonprofit organization, E-LAW’s
work must be highly cost-effective. E-LAW is pioneering the use of the Internet to
empower public interest lawyers to collaborate across borders and tap legal and scientific
resources around the world at low cost. Generous individuals and foundations provide the
financial support for E-LAW’s work.
Like most public interest lawyers, I make less money than I would make in some
jobs. But I gain ample rewards. My work has taken me to Mexico, Siberia, Australia,
Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Japan, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Argentina, Peru,
Colombia, Honduras, Brazil, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Chile, Venezuela and around the
U.S. I work with committed, skilled advocates who are overcoming long odds to secure
legal protections for the environment. I work in a comfortable, simple environment that
puts a premium on cost-effective results. I enjoy the varied challenges of directing a
small nonprofit organization that works around the world. Most importantly, I earn the
satisfaction of working for results that I really care about, such as preserving critical


16
habitats, protecting communities from toxic chemicals, giving citizens a voice in critical
decisions about the environment, improving air quality, cleaning up rivers and building a
sustainable future.
Before joining E-LAW in 1991, I worked with an outstanding private law firm.
While I enjoyed my complex litigation practice, I simply did not care about the outcome
of commercial disputes as much as I care about the environment. Working for results that
I care deeply about, like protecting a free-flowing river that provides critical habitat for
fish, is the greatest attraction and greatest reward of my public interest work. I urge all
lawyers and law students to find ways—full-time, part-time, pro bono or paid—to work
for results that you care deeply about.

Sierra Weaver ‘01
Staff Attorney
The Ocean Conservancy

I serve as in-house counsel on a wide range of litigation, legislative, and
administrative matters related to protecting marine wildlife and managing our nation’s
fisheries. Ocean protection is still something of a niche issue, even within the
environmental world, and I chose to work at The Ocean Conservancy in part because it
was a chance for me to really specialize in a subject area. With ocean protection, in
particular, I found a subject area that is not only important to me personally, but also
particularly fertile ground for having a positive impact as it is a still developing area of
environmental law. Furthermore, just in the past couple of years, both a Presidential and
an independent commission separately issued reports about how our oceans need more
attention, including an entirely new legal framework for protection, so it looks to be a
field expanding for years to come.
Although I focus on a particular subject area, my job duties are incredibly varied,
from performing our own in-house litigation, to doing legislative work on Capitol Hill, to
working closely with federal agency staff on administrative matters, to the non-legal
work that goes on at any national advocacy organization. My background before coming
here was in litigation, and at first the thought of taking my advocacy out of the four
corners of a court brief was pretty foreign to me, but I’ve been lucky enough to learn on
the job about these other forms of lawyering from folks within The Ocean Conservancy
and in the larger DC environmental community.
One of the most interesting things about all types of environmental law that I’ve
done is that it is so bound up in science, which is always changing. This means that even
after you’ve become comfortable with the laws you’re working with, the landscape of
your issues will continue to change with each new scientific development. Also, several
environmental organizations like The Ocean Conservancy have a strong scientific
presence on staff, which makes for a highly dynamic and diverse workplace. I don’t have
a scientific background, so I rely heavily on their expertise and get the added benefit of
learning something new every day.

For students interested in going into environmental law, I would say to expose
yourself to as much as possible during law school. Most people probably never realize
until they get inside the community just how diverse the issues and players can be. Use
your summers to explore different organizations and fields, and use your time in school
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Harvard Law School’s Environmental Trail Guide
to work with the environmental law review and take as many classes different classes as
possible (e.g., environmental justice, natural resources, toxic substances, local
government law). Also on the classroom front, take administrative law as soon as
possible–this is what most environmental law is all about, so if you don’t like it, this is
not the field for you!–and federal courts if you plan to litigate.
Finally, in job hunting, I encourage the same sort of flexibility and curiosity when
you’re introducing yourself to the field, especially if you’re aiming for the nonprofit
world. Upon graduating from law school, I applied to every entry level environmental
nonprofit position in the country, and ended up with an incredible two-year litigation
fellowship at the Southern Environmental Law Center in Chapel Hill, NC. Several
organizations offer this type of fellowship, which can be a great way to get your foot in
the door and gain incredible experience writing briefs and in the court room from very
early on!

THOMAS WATHEN ‘92
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL
NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST

After law school, I sought to combine law with management and policy to enhance
my career goal of being an effective advocate for the environment.
The National Environmental Trust (NET) retains a staff experienced in media
relations, advertising, issue campaign management, government affairs, federal
environmental law, communication technology and investigative research. A five-year-
old organization based in Washington, D.C., NET has grown from a small start-up
operation in 1994 to employing 60 full-time staff working in 20 states.
In its brief history, NET has conducted effective national media campaigns on
takings, regulatory reform, endangered species, clean air, climate change, safe drinking
water, and right-to-know. In a summer 1997 front-page story, the New York Times
described NET as “a relatively new but increasingly influential advocacy group.” Many
outside observers give NET partial credit for successfully encouraging the U.S.
negotiators to agree to the Kyoto Protocol on climate change in December 1997.
If my description of NET seems a proud one, it is because I have been with the
organization since day one. Out of law school for just a year and working as a program
officer for the Pew Charitable Trusts, a major philanthropy organization in Philadelphia, I
wrote the concept paper that would eventually become the NET organization. Four years
later, I became the group’s chief operating officer and first general counsel.
Although managing NET is not a traditional legal job, it is entirely in keeping with
the goals I had in coming to Harvard Law School. I studied environmental policy in
college during the mid-1970’s. While in school, I was involved with the Indiana Public
Interest Research Group (InPIRG), one of a network of statewide student groups active in
environmental issues. Upon graduation, I became the coordinator of the organization.
Eventually, I also became the executive director of Colorado PIRG and New York PIRG.
Running PIRGs, I gained experience in community organizing, issue research, media
relations, lobbying and organizational management.


18
All in all, I have a hard
time imagining a better
job. I get to combine law,
entrepreneurship, and
environmental
policymaking and all for a
cause I care deeply about.
That’s what I always
wanted out of a legal
career and that’s what I
am getting.
Tom Wathen ‘92
As a lawyer and a manager, I am pouring everything I know and have learned into
building NET into a premier national environmental
organization. It’s a thrilling time here, seeing NET go
from concept to reality and seeing that reality impact
issues I have cared about all my life. Although some of
the experience I draw upon was acquired before law
school, my legal skills are an indispensable part of my
background.
When attending HLS, I approached every class
with the idea of what could I learn about the law and
its impact on carrying out environmental protection
policies. For my third year paper, I analyzed nearly
every federal environmental statute on the books and
wrote about how the principles embedded in them
failed to adhere to the emerging principles of
environmental management. Throughout, I saw that nuisance doctrine, standing, the
federal tax code, remedies, corporate liability and many other aspects of the law have a
direct bearing on how the environment fares in commerce and government. Now, I am
putting that knowledge to work.
The general counsel duties at NET do approximate a more traditional legal career.
Guiding the ways NET raises and spends millions of dollars annually requires knowledge
of contract, employment, tax, election, defamation, professional liability, intellectual
property, and other areas of the law. We divide our in-house counsel work between the
four lawyers on staff and retain outside firms to supplement our needs. I oversee all this
work.
All in all, I have a hard time imagining a better job. I get to combine law,
entrepreneurship, and environmental policymaking and all for a cause I care deeply
about. That’s what I always wanted out of a legal career and that’s what I am getting.


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Harvard Law School’s Environmental Trail Guide
Chapter 3: Environmental Law at
Harvard University
A centralized source of environmental information at Harvard University:
http://www.environment.harvard.edu



The Environmental Law Program at HLS begins its fourth year in 2008-09. The
development of the program marks an institutional commitment to meet student demand
for classes, professors, conferences, and clinicals devoted to environmental law. Here are
some program highlights:

Curricular Development—HLS now offers a variety of courses that focus specifically
on environmental law or include a substantial environmental perspective. Classes are
taught by a wide range of faculty and cover topics such as land-use law, global
governance and energy law.

Clinical Program—This year's clinical offerings include partnerships with the
Conservation Law Foundation, a New England-based public interest group, on a variety
of water protection, power and energy regulation projects; the Massachusetts Department
of Environmental Protection on preparation of administrative decisions and policies;
Ceres on preparation of climate-related shareholder resolutions and Congressional
testimony in support of broader corporate disclosures about environmental matters; the
Environmental Law Institute on development of a national wetlands policy; and the
Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation, involving the implementation of
policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other forms of pollution.

Climate Conference—In March 2006, the environmental law program brought together
leading scientists, economists, legal scholars and policy-makers to discuss legislative
proposals on climate change. The program allowed leaders in their fields to debate this
timely subject at a moment when lawmakers were and still are preparing to turn some of
the strategies into policy. In April 2008, the program will host another major conference.
It will focus on opportunities and challenges for state carbon trading schemes, with
particular attention to carbon offsets. It will be co-sponsored by the Harvard Center for
the Environment and the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke
University. The conference will be policy relevant, focusing on the challenges for states
that wish to use carbon offsets in their greenhouse gas reduction programs.

Web Site—The program established a website, www.law.harvard.edu/programs/elp/, to
offer students—current and prospective—a portal for learning about the school’s
presence in environmental law. Links provide information on courses, upcoming events
and faculty.

Alumni Network—The program has solicited a network of HLS graduates interested in
offering students career advice, insights on the field and experience. For more
information or to join the network, contact environment@law.harvard.edu.


20

In the following interview originally conducted for Harvard Law Today in summer 2006,
Professor Jody Freeman LL.M. ’91 S.J.D. ’95, Director of the Environmental Law
Program, shared her conceptions of environmentalism at HLS and why it is imperative
that all young attorneys are cognizant of the pervasiveness of environmental law.

Where does the school’s environmental law program stand?

I’m more excited than ever because we had a terrific first year. We held a first-rate
climate conference, which was attended by Sen. Jeff Bingaman, who has a climate
proposal in Congress. Our meeting took place at a pivotal moment because lots of
proposals are moving through Congress and it’s time to take stock. We brought key
players to HLS to discuss the policy options and they found the exchange helpful and
illuminating. We really announced ourselves in the world of environmental law and
policy in an impressive way.

Beyond that, we planned a very rich curriculum for the law school for next year,
including courses in international environmental law and energy law, in addition to the
basic environmental law course that I’m teaching and that [Assistant Professor] Matthew
Stephenson [’03] is also going to teach. We put in place the beginning of an ambitious
clinical program as well. So I’m very excited because we’ve taken big steps in a short
time.

Do lawyers need a science background to speak about environmental law
authoritatively?

Both science and economics are disciplines that lawyers have to have some familiarity
with. I don’t think they need to be the equivalent of a Ph.D., but law students need to be
intelligent enough about them to know when they need an expert, and to know what they
don’t know, and to know when to ask questions. This isn’t unique to environmental law.
It’s true of a lot of areas—health care, for example. Part of our mission is to make sure
students are literate enough.

You’ve said that, in the ’60s and ’70s, a sense of crisis about the environment helped
prompt political action. Do you think we’ve reached that point again today?

Ironically, and tragically, Hurricane Katrina was an enormous help in communicating
what happens when you don’t plan, and when you don’t have a smart agenda for
environmental protection and disaster prevention. I think we’re near the crisis point. The
trouble with climate change is there’s this moment at which you finally wake up to the
problem, and then you think very quickly, “Oh, it’s too late.” So you have to begin to act
immediately.

Do you think that practicing environmental law is inherently about political
advocacy?

No, I don’t think it’s necessarily about political advocacy. But I do think that all
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Harvard Law School’s Environmental Trail Guide
decisions about where to allocate society’s resources, and how much to regulate certain
activities, and what the best course is for the future—these are all inherently political
decisions. Every environmental issue raises important political questions, but I don’t
think going into environmental law means you’re necessarily going to be a political
advocate for one position or another. There are many roles to play in the policy process.

What has been your impression of the students and their level of interest?

First of all, I have to say, I think the students are fantastic. The single best feature of
Harvard Law School is the students. There’s a solid core of students who identify
themselves as environmentally inclined and want to work on environmental issues. And
they are a very committed, impressive group.

But I’m interested in expanding this group to include people who may not wake up in the
morning and think of themselves as environmentalists, but who might end up doing
corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, litigation, bankruptcy, etc. Even in these
traditional fields of law, you need to know something about environmental law and
regulation—it’s become that important. I’m interested in building a program that interests
people who don’t already self-identify.

Incorporating international law into many parts of the curriculum has become a
priority. Are you suggesting the same should happen with environmental law?

Yes, I’m explicitly expansionist. Crucial developments in constitutional law are driven by
environmental problems. The same is true of torts, administrative law and corporate law.
You name the field, and I can tell you about how environmental problems and issues
have driven important developments and new case law. You don’t have to be somebody
who cares about environmental law per se to realize the importance of the field, just like
with international law. So, I confess, I’m Napoleonic.

HARVARD LAW SCHOOL COURSES AND RESOURCES
www.law.harvard.edu/academics/elp/courses.php

Environmental Law courses offered during the 2008-2009 year:
• Environmental Law (Freeman)
• Federal Public Land and Resources Law (Leshy)
• Land Use Law (Ruhl)
• Human Rights and the Environment Advocacy Seminar (Giannini)
• Law and Policy of Ecosystem Services (Ruhl)
• The Law of Climate Change (Ballentine)
• Water Law (Leshy)
• Environmental Law Practice: Skills, Methods, and Controversies (Jacobs)



22
Clinical Opportunities

HLS environmental clinical offerings have expanded enormously in the past four years and now
Environmental Law, taught by Professors Freeman and Stephenson, includes opportunities to
work at the Conservation Law Foundation, the Mass Department of Environmental Protection,
and numerous other organizations and agencies. Consult the Office of Clinical and Pro Bono
Programs to learn more about opportunities in environmental law and for a complete listing of
clinical options: http://www.law.harvard.edu/academics/clinical/curriculum.htm

THE INDEPENDENT CLINICAL
AN OVERVIEW
James Smart ’97

An Independent Clinical offers you the possibility of earning academic credit while
gaining some real work experience at, and making some contacts within, the
environmental organization you choose. For people who are interested in exploring or
getting a head start in environmental advocacy work, the Independent Clinical option can
be a great opportunity.

In brief, a student can earn two credits for independent clinical work. To register for these
credits, students must submit a written proposal, some simple documentation from a
prospective supervisor at the sponsoring organization, including a form, and a form filled
out by a prospective faculty supervisor whose main job will be to assign your grade after
reviewing your evaluation from the organization and any work you complete while there.
The required paperwork is usually due a month or so before the clinical starts; once filed,
the Clinical Office takes care of officially registering the student for the credits.

Finding an organization that wants free labor for a term, identifying a professor who is
willing to provide a grade after reviewing somebody else’s evaluation, and writing a brief
proposal all takes only slightly more initiative than registering for regular classes.

It is possible to arrange to earn credit at almost any law-related nonprofit or governmental
organization. During the fall and spring terms, of course, you are necessarily restricted to
Boston area placements because of the impracticality of commuting to other areas.
During the winter term—which is the most popular time to take an Independent Clinical
(because it allows students to get a real, full time, if fairly brief, work experience at the
placement organization)—students have a chance to work literally anywhere on the
globe, provided they meet one condition: In order to work outside of Boston, students
must have already taken at least one standard clinical course of some sort.


Numerous environmental placements are available in the Boston area. These include the
state DEP, the EPA, the environmental section of the state Attorney General’s Office, the
Environmental Unit of the Department of Justice, the National Environmental Law
Center, possibly the Boston office of the Nature Conservancy, and the Conservation Law
Foundation. This last organization was sponsor of my placement. I had an enriching and
enjoyable experience at CLF, but I am sure that you could have similarly positive
experience at other placements too.
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Harvard Law School’s Environmental Trail Guide

In closing, I believe the Independent Clinical Program is a valuable addition to HLS’s
curriculum for students interested in environmental work. I highly recommend taking
advantage of it. Additional information on Harvard’s Office of Clinical Programs is
available in a handout in the office.

HLS students can also take courses on environmental issues at various Harvard
schools including Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Extension, Design,
Medical, Government, Ecopsychology, and Public Health. Though this list is by no
means comprehensive, recently offered courses included the following.

Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Environmental Courses Sorted by the Registrar’s Office:
http://webdocs.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/courses/EnvironmentalScienceandPublicPolicy.html

Environmental courses are offered in the following departments:
Anthropology
Biological Sciences
Biology
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Economics
Engineering Sciences
Environmental Science and Public Policy
History of Science
Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
Social Studies
Visual and Environmental Studies

The John F. Kennedy School of Government (KSG)

Environment and Natural Resource Policy
www.ksg.harvard.edu/environment/
KSG is the hub of environment and natural resource policy study and action at
Harvard. The School has an exceptionally distinguished record of research, teaching, and
policy involvement in the environment and natural resource area.

The Environment and Natural Resources Program
www.bcsia.ksg.harvard.edu/?program=ENRP

ENRP at KSG is at the center of Harvard University's research, teaching, and
outreach on public policy that affects global environmental quality and natural resource
management.

Global Environmental Assessment Project
www.ksg.harvard.edu/gea/
The Global Environmental Assessment (GEA) Project was an interdisciplinary,
international fellows training program that focused on understanding the relationships


24
among science, assessment, policy, and management in societies' efforts to grapple with
global environmental change. The GEA Project ran from 1995-2001. Visit website for
more information about three publications summarizing project results.

Harvard Medical School
Center for Health and the Global Environment
http://www.med.harvard.edu/chge/

Course catalog with search function for environmental courses
http://www.medcatalog.harvard.edu/

Harvard School of Public Health
Course catalog of Environmental courses:
www.hsph.harvard.edu/registrar/courses/eh.shtml

Harvard Extension School
Offers a Master’s Degree and Certificate in Environmental Management. Search for
current environmental courses at:
http://dceweb.harvard.edu/prod/sswckce.taf?wgrp=EXT

ADDITIONAL HARVARD RESOURCES

The Environmental Science and Public Policy Archives
http://hcl.harvard.edu/environment/
Specializes in international environmental governance, related science, and
cultural perspectives on the environment. The Archives aim to create a locus for
scholarship that opens the history of environmental science and public policy to analysis
through which the lessons from history can be sharpened and applied.

Harvard University Center for the Environment
http://www.environment.harvard.edu
Established in April 2001 and extending the mission and activities of the
University Committee on Environment, the Harvard University Center for the
Environment (HUCE) provides a focus for interdisciplinary, cross-faculty research and
education in the field of environmental studies at Harvard.



Harvard Forest
Comprised of research facilities, the Fisher Museum, and 3,000 acres of land in north
central MA, the Forest provides an opportunity for scientists, students, and collaborators
to explore topics ranging from conservation and environmental change to land-use
history and the ways in which physical, biological and human systems interact to change
our earth.

http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu


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Harvard Law School’s Environmental Trail Guide
Arnold Arboretum
Originally established as a trust held by Harvard University, the mission of the
Arboretum focuses on both research and education supported by the curation and
maintenance of a collection of woody plants and the development of related programs,
both instruction and publication.
www.arboretum.harvard.edu/

Center for Health and the Global Environment
Founded in 1996 at Harvard Medical School to expand environmental education at
medical schools and to further investigate and promote awareness of the human health
consequences of global environmental change, the Center sponsors a class, a publication,
policy-making education, and media outreach efforts.
www.med.harvard.edu/chge/

Other Institutions with Cross-Registration Options for HLS students

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
http://www.mit.edu/education/

Tufts University- Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
http://fletcher.tufts.edu/academic/course-descriptions.shtml

A Student Perspective:
Adam Kron ’06 (written as a rising 3L)
Southern Environmental Law Center


I had been interested in environmental issues and, more generally, the outdoors
since I was younger, but my decision to pursue a career in environmental law did not
come until my year in an AmeriCorps program in Washington State. In AmeriCorps, I
had the opportunity to work outdoors in connection with a variety of environmental
issues in the Pacific Northwest, including watershed conservation, forestry practices, and
endangered species protection. Moreover, I had the chance to talk and learn about these
issues with other AmeriCorps members, local community members, and project sponsors
on a regular basis. In this way, a career in environmental law seemed like a natural
choice to me, except for the fact that up until that point I had been bound for medical
school. In fact, I had accepted an offer to attend medical school, though the school had
allowed me to defer enrollment during my AmeriCorps year. After some difficult
consideration and decision-making, I ultimately decided that I should pursue
environmental law as a career. Though I still could remain involved in environmental
law issues as a doctor–through volunteering, donating, and staying informed–I felt that
environmental law was important enough to me that I did not want my involvement to be
from the sidelines or as a hobby. Rather, I wanted to be in the middle of it, making direct
impacts on the issues that were important to me. For that reason, I wanted to be an
environmental attorney.

Choosing which law school to attend was a pretty involved process, especially
since environmental law is a discrete enough area that it does not necessarily reflect on


26
the quality of the rest of the school. That was my main conflict in deciding on Harvard;
its environmental program was not what it could–or should–be, but the rest of the school
was renowned for its quality and experience. Ultimately, what helped to make my
decision was a conversation I had with Alexa Shabecoff, in which I expressed my
concerns about the environmental law program and, in the process, got a chance to learn
about OPIA’s role in environmental law at HLS. Over the two years I’ve been here, I
know that I made the right choice. The environmental law program is growing at a pretty
rapid pace, and the community of environmental law students remains strong and
committed. Moreover, OPIA has been great in helping me to find jobs, organizing
events, and acting as a general support mechanism for public interest law students.

In the long term, I hope to work at a public interest environmental law nonprofit.
I’d like to be involved in primarily litigation-oriented work, though I also am interested
in policy and advocacy. In fact, though I hadn’t considered it before coming to Harvard,
I have given much more thought to working for the federal government–probably the
Department of the Interior or the Environmental Protection Agency–for part of my
career.
During my time at HLS, I’ve had the chance to work with four nonprofits (two
internships and two clinical courses) in several regions of the country, and my experience
has been really positive on the whole. All the organizations that I’ve worked with have
been pretty small–no more than six attorneys–and I’ve found that to be the case with
most environmental law nonprofits in the U.S. In terms of how I evaluated where to
apply for summer internships, I primarily used OPIA’s Job Search Guide, the public
interest job fair, the ELR/ELS info session, and general word of mouth among my
classmates. I first limited myself regionally–Alaska in my first summer and the Pacific
Northwest for my second–and then considered the positions in those areas. I’ve known
other students who have applied to more than one region and then chose when they got
offers, but I wanted to establish some stronger environmental law ties to the Northwest
for future jobs, so I decided to stick to that general region. Overall, I found the best
resource to be talking to people at HLS–OPIA folks, other students, professors, etc.–as it
can turn up a lot of insight that you wouldn’t otherwise get from Internet or paper
searches.

In terms of staying focused on environmental law, I haven’t had too much trouble,
as environmental law is the main reason I’m here. Still, it can be difficult when OCI is
happening on campus and it seems like everyone else in the school is doing it. In those
instances, the environmental law community has been really helpful, even if just
informally. Knowing that there are other students on the same job path and with the
same goals in mind is a great support mechanism, especially during your second year
when most of the school makes the switch to the firm path.

In terms of finding jobs, there are several resources that have been of a great help
to me. The first of these is the advising at OPIA. For both of the past two years before
applying for jobs, I’ve scheduled an advising session with Alexa and a resume and cover
letter revising appointment with Jennie. Both have helped me a great deal in deciding
where to apply and in refining my applications. Secondly, I’ve found the job fairs–
OPIA’s and ELS’s–to be useful. Third, fellow students have been a great resource for
me. I found my first internship just by talking to a 2L student that I met through some of
the environmental organizations, and actually was able to help another student apply for
27
Harvard Law School’s Environmental Trail Guide
that same internship this year in the same way. I believe asking around and doing a bit of
informal research is one of the best and easiest ways to find a summer internship.

For doing the work, the only real resource I’ve used other than studying on my
own has been other students. I’ve only been in a couple study groups for courses, and
then only around exam times, but I’ve always found them to be helpful. I know other
students that have used them much more extensively, and they seem to have had positive
experiences on the whole.

The only thing that I can think of that I would have done differently as an
admitted student with a similar focus would be to have had more social involvement with
other environmental students earlier on. ELS did not have a whole lot of social events
during my first year, and I think this delayed getting 1Ls more involved in the
environmental community at HLS. During my 2L year, we tried to have several more
events earlier on, and I think we were pretty successful in getting at least a small, strong
group of 1Ls into the community in the first semester. Though more academic events are
great for ELS, I really feel that it has been the social and informal camaraderie that has
kept the environmental community going even without a full program in place. It looks
like events will continue to be frequent, so I would recommend that 1Ls get involved
early on, as it can be a great experience as a 1L environmental law student.

On the whole, the environmental course offerings at HLS have been better than
what I was told to expect. For the past two years, I have not had a shortage of courses to
take, and I have felt that the selection has been pretty good. It looks like a fair number of
courses will be available for next year, too, though maybe not in the same variety as years
past. Luckily, Professor Freeman will be sticking around, and she’ll be offering a few
courses, along with a research project that looks pretty interesting. In all, I don’t think
I’ll have trouble filling out my third year, though I still would like to see some more
variety and choices in the offerings.

EXTRACURRICULAR
OPPORTUNITIES

Through groups like the Harvard Environmental Law Society and the
Environmental Law Journal, students have found opportunities to study and to
get hands-on experience in legal work in the environmental field.

HARVARD ENVIRONMENTAL LAW SOCIETY (ELS)

The Harvard Environmental Law Society is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization
directed and staffed by students at Harvard Law School. It was founded in 1970 by three
Harvard Law students who perceived a pressing need for the Law School, and the field of
law, to respond more effectively to the nation’s environmental problems. To this end,
they created an organization that was committed to preparing students to creatively and
intelligently use the law to serve of the environment.


28

What is ELS’ mission?
Since the Society was founded, the field of environmental law and the ELS itself have
grown tremendously. In recent years, ELS has been one of the largest student
organizations at the Law School. Yet the need to make the law better equipped to address
environmental problems remains. Thus, the central and original mission of the Society
remains essentially unchanged: to strengthen the capacity of its members to make real
contributions to the field of environmental law and, most importantly, to the environment
itself, in the local, national and international communities in which they participate.

What Does ELS Do?
The Society seeks to fulfill this mission by providing students with first-hand exposure to
the numerous legal, policy, science and management issues that confront today’s
environmental legal professionals. It offers this experience through
several programs designed to actively involve students in helping to address real
environmental problems both here at Harvard and in the broader community. These
programs include the following:

ŠResearch Committee
The Research Committee allows students to conduct legal research and work directly
with environmental groups and various government offices from across the country on
active litigation, regulatory proposals, and policy development. Over the years, ELS has
worked with a broad cross-section of institutions requesting its assistance, from the
nation’s top environmental advocacy organizations to small, local citizens’ groups. HLS
students have testified at legislative hearings and helped prepare numerous briefs.

ŠAction Committee
The Action Committee offers members the chance to become more involved in
environmental issues on campus and in the local community. We have successfully
worked over the years to reduce the electricity, fuel, water, and the paper consumed by
the Law School. We have also significantly increased the amount of recycling that takes
place on campus.

ŠCurriculum Committee
The Curriculum Committee focuses on improving the educational opportunities in
environmental law available to our members and to future students at the Law School. In
recent years, ELS has worked with the Law School and local environmental
organizations to expand the number of clinical placements available to our students.

ŠOutings
ELS organizes trips and outings throughout New England. In past years, ELS has gone
snow-shoeing on Mt. Monadnock, skiing in Vermont, and whale watching off Cape Cod.


ELS continually seeks to respond to appropriate requests for collaborative assistance and
to establish mutually beneficial working relationships with those working in the
environmental field, both in the law and other disciplines.

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Harvard Law School’s Environmental Trail Guide
Contact information:
Harvard Environmental Law Society
201 Austin Hall
Harvard Law School
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 495-3125
els@law.harvard.edu
http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/els/

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW REVIEW

Founded in 1976, the Harvard Environmental Law Review is one of the few legal
journals dedicated to presenting in-depth academic analysis of complex environmental
topics. ELR publishes articles by lawyers, policymakers, professors, and students on all
aspects of environmental law—ranging from energy and urban land use to hazardous
waste and wilderness preservation. Recent articles have addressed the preservation of
biodiversity on privately owned land, the ability of intellectual property law to foster
innovations in environmental technologies, and the use of international law to remedy
racial discrimination in exposure to environmental hazards.

The staff is composed entirely of students. First-year students work with editors on all
stages of the publication process—researching and editing, selecting articles and
checking citations, and preparing the articles to go to press. Second- and third-year
students (and selected first-year students) assume additional responsibility and work
closely with authors while editing articles for substantive, structural, and stylistic clarity.
—Alex Hanafi, Editor-in-Chief, 1997

Contact Information:
Harvard Environmental Law Review
Publications Center, Harvard Law School
1541 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 495-3110
hlselr@law.harvard.edu
http://www.law.harvard.edu/studorgs/envir_law_rev/













30
Chapter 4 : Job Search Process and OPIA

Although numerous opportunities exist for environmental law practice in a variety of
areas, the job search process demands aggressive research, planning, and networking.
This section includes some advice on finding a job and building the foundation for a
successful environmental career.

Research

Researching the field of environmental law is an important step in guiding your career
search. Understanding the field’s landscape can help you decide which area of the field to
focus on, and the which offices best suit your interests. Take advantage of all of the
resources available to students: question environmental law professors about the
environmental law world; utilize the Office of Public Interest Advising to research
organizations, fellowships and career opportunities; attend speaking engagements and
conferences that address your areas of interest. Take the initiative as early as possible,
research the world of environmental law, and you will gain an understanding of the field
that will allow you to effectively focus your career search efforts.

Planning

Planning your law school activities with an eye on your career goals will help you to
develop the background necessary for obtaining a job and succeeding in environmental
practice. Public interest employers look for a demonstrated commitment to public interest
work and environmental law. This commitment will be evident if you focus your law
school activities and curriculum on environmental law. Participation in environmental
law courses and activities exposes you to the substantive law you will face in a typical
practice; introduces you to organizations and offices throughout the field; and opens
doors to fellowship projects, mentors and contacts, and job offers. Plan your curriculum
to include environmental law and related courses such as administrative law,
constitutional law and federal courts. Take on environmental research projects whenever
possible—in class, with professors or with local environmental groups. Gain practical
experience through clinicals, internships and volunteering. Participate in environmental
extracurricular activities such as student groups and law journals. Planning your law
school coursework and activities will benefit you tremendously in developing yourself as
a worthy candidate and in preparing you for practice in the field.

Networking

As with many public interest jobs, networking is the key to finding the best positions in
environmental law. Public interest organizations and firms do not have the same
resources devoted to recruiting as corporate firms have, so they do not post through
traditional media. The key to learning about opportunities is aggressively pursuing and
maintaining contacts in the field. This way, if you lay the proper groundwork, you can
learn about exciting job opportunities and even create opportunities for yourself. Seize
every possible opportunity for networking during your law school career: maintain
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Harvard Law School’s Environmental Trail Guide
contacts gained during internships, clinicals and volunteer projects; make connections
with alumni in the field; and spend as much time as possible talking to people working in
environmental organizations. You will find that fostering connections with people
working in the field is vital to your career search as well as to the development of a
meaningful career.

Networking can happen within the HLS community, too. (See info below on OPIA’s
Student-to-Student Job Fair.) Realizing that fellow students interested in environmental
law are terrific sources of advice about internships, summer jobs, and contacts means that
you will make the most of your interactions with like-minded environmental enthusiasts.

Also, remember that networking is reciprocal. Your specialized knowledge and
experience, however limited it may be, may prove useful to your peers. And remember to
get to know your professors as well as possible, too. They are not only expert teachers but
seminal scholars in their fields of study. They will know other key players who may be
able to help you in the future. Introduce yourself and get involved!

OPIA Resources

Advising Appointments

Whether you need help updating your resume, finding a summer internship, or
transitioning into environmental law from an alternate career path, meeting with an OPIA
advisor is a valuable decision. Call (617) 495-3108, or drop by the OPIA Office at 329
Pound Hall to make an appointment. While there, remember to check out OPIA’s
Resource Center containing recently-updated directories, periodicals, and advising guides
to help you find answers and generate new questions.
http://www.law.harvard.edu/current/careers/opia

Student-to-Student Job Fair

Because so few employers come to campus or attend job fairs, each year OPIA hosts a
Student Job Fair. Through this event, second and third year students are able to share
information about their summer experience, including the inside scoop on what it is like
to intern at a nonprofit, private public interest firm, or government office. The fair is a
great opportunity to meet members of ELS or ELR who may serve as academic and
personal mentors to you as well as career guides.

ALUMNI ADVISING NETWORK

The Alumni Center, the Office of Career Services, and OPIA sponsor jointly this
Network database designed to connect both students and graduates of HLS with alumni
for general career-related advice. The goal of the Network is to create a community of
alumni volunteers whoa are willing to assist students and graduates by answering


32
questions on such topics as course selection, judicial clerkships, career development, job
search strategies, work/family balance, switching practice areas, and changing
geographical locations. The network offers a mechanism for searching by issue area and
includes many attorneys active in a wide range of environmental practice.
https://hlsalumni.publishingconcepts.com/Careerdefault.asp

WASSERSTEIN FELLOWS

The Wasserstein Public Interest Fellows Program brings outstanding public interest
attorneys to Harvard Law School each year to counsel students about public service.
Wasserstein visiting Fellows spend one to two days on campus meeting individually with
Harvard Law students and advising them about public interest career options. Students
can sign up in advance at OPIA for one-hour counseling sessions with the visiting
Fellows.

Due to widespread student interest in environmental law, each year OPIA tries to bring in
one or more Wasserstein Fellows or panelists working in environmental law. For
example, in the 2005-06 academic year, Elizabeth Birnbaum of American Rivers served
as a Wasserstein Fellow (see narrative on p. 14). In 2006-07, Wasserstein Fellow Paul
Achitoff, Managing Attorney at EarthJustice in Honolulu advised during the spring
semester.

WHO’S WORKING WHERE AND OPIA SUMMER JOB SURVEYS

Consult the Who’s Working Where database at OPIA to find the names of other HLS
students who have worked for environmental law organizations during the summer.
Talking to fellow students about their experiences can be a great resource to use during
your summer or full-time job search. HLS students returning from a summer internship in
the public interest field are also encouraged to fill out OPIA summer job evaluations.
These surveys usually have a higher than fifty percent return rate, and can be found
compiled in binders in the OPIA office that students are encouraged to use.

In addition to the text resources available in OPIA’s Resource Center, the internet
provides a source of constantly updated information. Home pages, newsgroups, and
other on-line databases provide updated information about organizations, positions,
and programs. To get started, check these out:

Cameron May Environmental Law Publications
www.jus.uio.no/lm/cameronmay/cm.html

Envirolink
www.envirolink.org

IGC: EcoNet
www.igc.org

33
Harvard Law School’s Environmental Trail Guide
Environmental Law Institute
www.eli.org

Environmental Law Net
http://lawvianet.com

Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide
www.elaw.org

Find Law: Environmental Law
www.findlaw.com/01topics/13environmental/index.html

Environmental Jobs and Careers
www.ejobs.org

Environmental Career Opportunities
www.ecojobs.com

Environmental Careers World
www.environmental-jobs.com











34
Chapter 5: Directory
of Fellowships and
Organizations

FELLOWSHIPS

The following fellowships have been
copied from OPIA’s 2006-2007 Public
Interest Job Search Guide. In Ch. 9 of
Vol. I and Ch. 7 of Vol. II, various
public interest fellowships are arranged
by geographic location and listed by area
of interest. Those interested in pursuing
fellowships should consult the Guide for
application and deadline information.
Please note that this is neither a final nor
complete listing of environmental-law
related fellowships. You are encouraged
to make an appointment with OPIA’s
Fellowships Director, Judith Murciano,
if interested in any of the following
opportunities. Please note that we now
have an updated copy of the 2008-2009
Public Interest Job Search Guide
available in the OPIA office. The online
OPIA job search database also has
current information.

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF INDIAN
STUDIES FELLOWSHIPS
1130 East 59th St.
Chicago, IL 60637
(773) 702-8638
aiis@uchicago.edu
www.indiastudies.org/fellow.htm
Description: A variety of different fellowships
are available, both for those pursuing a Ph.D.
and for those who already possess Ph.D., S.J.D.,
or its equivalent. Fellowships fund research or
professional development in India.
Areas of Specialization: Education,
Environment, Human Rights, Labor,
International
Types of Advocacy: Policy, Research
Special Qualifications: Varies according to
fellowship. Fellows are U.S. citizens or non-U.S.
citizens resident in the United States.
Number of Fellows: Approximately 35
Stipend: Varies.

ASHOKA INNOVATORS FOR THE PUBLIC
FELLOWSHIP
Ashoka Innovators for the Public Interest
Michaela Prescott, Fellowship Support Services
1700 North Moore St., Ste. 2000
Arlington, VA 22209
(703) 527-8300 ext. 295
Fax: (703) 527-8383
info@ashoka.org
www.ashoka.org
Description: Ashoka finds and supports
outstanding individuals with ideas for far-
reaching social change. Ashoka serves as a
venture-capital firm by offering these people
support at a critical time in their careers.
Ashoka’s Fellows have made pattern-setting
changes in education, health, environmental
protection, human rights and many other fields
of social concern.
Areas of Specialization: Education,
Environment, Human Rights, Labor
Types of Advocacy: Grassroots/Organizing,
Public Education, Social Entrepreneurship
Special Qualifications: Ashoka Fellowships are
for individuals working in 60 countries,
including the U.S. They apply from within the
country through a biannual panel selection
process.
Number of Fellows: 150
Term: 3 years
Stipend: Varies according to financial needs and
cost of living in each country

CALIFORNIA EXECUTIVE FELLOWSHIP
PROGRAM
Center for California Studies
Sandra Perez, Executive Fellowship Program
Director
California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J
St.
Sacramento, CA 95819-6081
(916) 278-6906
Fax: (916) 278-5199
calstudies@csus.edu
www.csus.edu/calst/Programs/exec_fellowship.h
tml
Description: Fellows serve in staff positions
throughout various agencies and departments of
California’s executive branch. Fellows also
35
Harvard Law School’s Environmental Trail Guide
attend seminars with speakers who are key
players in the policy process both in and out of
government. Includes 12 units of graduate credit,
health benefits and deferral of student loans.
Areas of Specialization: Civil Rights,
Consumer, Education, Environment, Housing,
Labor
Types of Advocacy: Administrative,
Legislative/Lobbying, Policy
Special Qualifications: Must hold four-year
bachelor's degree by August prior to Fellowship.
Persons from all academic disciplines and those
with advanced degrees are encouraged to apply.
Number of Fellows: 18
Term: 10 months
Stipend: Stipend: $1,982/mo., plus full benefits,
12 graduate credits in Public Policy and
Administration at CSUS and loan deferment.

CALIFORNIA JUDICIAL
ADMINISTRATION FELLOWS PROGRAM
Center for California Studies
Donna Hoenig Couch, Judicial Administration
Fellows Program Director
California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J
St.
Sacramento, CA 95819-6081
(916) 278-6906
Fax: (916) 278-5199
calstudies@csus.edu
www.csus.edu/calst/Programs/judicial_admin.ht
ml
Description: Fellows serve in staff positions
throughout California's judicial branch. Fellows
also attend seminars with speakers who are key
players in the policy process both in and out of
government.
Areas of Specialization: Civil Rights,
Consumer, Environment, Judicial System
Types of Advocacy: Administrative,
Legislative/Policy, Policy

Description: Law Fellows assist in one or more
program areas: Trade and the Environment,
International Financial Institutions, Bio-diversity
and Wildlife, Law and Communities, Human
Rights and Environment, Climate Change or
Chemicals. Focus on challenges of international
environmental law within public interest law
context through independent research and
publication, advice and advocacy and teaching
and training.
Special Qualifications: Must hold four-year
bachelor's degree by August 2006. Persons from
all academic disciplines and those with advanced
degrees are encouraged to apply.
Number of Fellows: 10
Term: 10 months
Stipend: $1972/mo.

CALIFORNIA SEA GRANT STATE
FELLOWS PROGRAM
California Sea Grant College System
Shauna Oh, Program Manager
9500 Gilman Dr. Dept. 0232
La Jolla, CA 92093-0232
(858) 534-4440
Fax: (858) 534-2231
shaunaoh@ucsd.edu
www.csgc.ucsd.edu/education/statefellow.html
Description: The Program provides a unique
educational opportunity for graduate students
interested both in marine resources and the
policy decisions affecting these resources. The
Program matches highly motivated and qualified
graduate students with hosts in the California
State Legislature or in State agencies for a nine-
month Fellowship in Sacramento.
Areas of Specialization: Civil Rights,
Consumer, Environment, Health, Housing, Labor
Types of Advocacy: Administrative,
Legislative/Lobbying, Policy
Special Qualifications: Applicants must be
registered graduate students in a marine-related
field at a California university or have recently
completed their degrees. Applicants should
demonstrate interest in both marine science and
public policy.
Number of Fellows: Varies
Term: 9 months
Stipend: $24,000

Center for International
Environmental Law (CIEL)
Fellowship
Center for International Environmental Law
(CIEL)
Intern Coordinator
1367 Connecticut Ave., NW, Ste. 300
Washington, D.C. 20036
(202) 785-8700
Fax: (202) 785-8701
lbaker@ciel.org
www.ciel.org/Join/Join_Fellowships.html
Areas of Specialization: Environment, Human
Rights, International
Types of Advocacy: Policy, Teaching
Special Qualifications: Recent law graduates.
Number of Fellows: Varies
Term: 3-6 months
Stipend: None


36