Career Compass: A Map for Your Legal Career in Environmental Law
Environmental law is a surprisingly diverse field with many career paths. Environmental lawyers practice in a variety of settings, including government, law firms, public interest nonprofits, and corporations. Environmental litigation, both civil and criminal, is a fertile field, but many environmental practitioners focus on transactions, compliance counseling, and other work far from the courtroom.
Environmental law includes pollution control (air, water, waste, etc.) and management of natural resources (e.g., water, wildlife, oil & gas, minerals, public lands). Because so much environmental law is made and enforced by government agencies, knowledge of administrative law is important to environmental law practitioners. Environmental law often implicates land use and international law as well as such foundational subjects as property, torts, and constitutional law.
Courses
Core Curriculum:
Administrative Law
Environmental Law
Natural Resources Law
Specialty Courses:
Land Use Planning
Public Service Externship in an environmental placement
Other Student Opportunities
- Certificate of Concentration in Environmental Law
- Environmental Law Moot Court Competition
- Environmental Law Society (student organization)
- Legal Institute of the Great Lakes