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/ Environmental, Natural Resources, & Energy Law

Environmental Law

Lawyers and policy professionals play key roles in solving some of the world’s most complex environmental challenges. Today, practitioners must solve pollution problems, protect natural resources, and develop clean energy sources against the backdrop of a changing climate and efforts to promote environmental justice.

Law is a vital tool for forging more sustainable, resilient, and equitable societies.

Turn your passion into your profession. Join one of the top environmental law programs in the country and gain the legal expertise and experience to tackle the environmental, natural resource, and energy challenges of today and tomorrow.

JD in Environmental Law LLM – in person or online MSL – in person or online

Where will you have the most impact?

Climate Resilience & Energy

Global Environment

Air, Water & Land

Ecosystems & Biodiversity

Environmental Justice & Sustainability

Oceans & Rivers

5000

Spotlight

Prof. Benjamin Advocates to Establish State Obligations re: Climate Change
Professor Lisa Benjamin co-authored briefs to the International Court of Justice and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to establish state obligations around climate change as part of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Clinic students supported the effort.
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Global Law Alliance Assists United Nations on Environmental Crimes Report
Clinic Students assisted in the creation of a UNODC report, assessing the rates at which countries criminalize environmental harms. The report will eventually be published as a chapter in a larger UNODC environmental crimes publication.
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Animal Agriculture’s Role in Climate Change at the Environmental Law Symposium
Lewis & Clark Law School’s 9th annual Environmental Law Spring Symposium, “Animal Agriculture and Climate Change — The Really Big Cow In The Room,” convened experts to discuss the urgent need to address the adverse impacts of industrial animal agriculture on climate change. Nicholas Kristof, of NY Times, gave the keynote address.

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2024 Wyss Scholar: Hayden Wyatt to Focus on Forest Conservation
Hayden Wyatt JD ’25 is one of two Wyss Scholars selected from Lewis & Clark Law School in 2024. The Wyss Foundation is a private, charitable foundation dedicated to land conservation. This summer Hayden will work for Cascadia Wildlands, with an internship focused on forest conservation.
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Professors, Don’t Remove Chevron from Your Casebooks, by Nick Fromherz
Sure, Chevron is “bad law,” the red flag of Westlaw ominously marking its grave. Yet, at least for purposes of studying administrative law, it should remain canon. Why? Although the Supreme Court’s decision in Loper Bright alters the deference landscape in important ways—giving courts power at the expense of agencies—these changes may not be as profound as a surface-level inspection suggests. And even if they are, they cannot be appreciated unless juxtaposed with the Chevron era.
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