University of Utah : S.J. Quinney College of Law

Environmental Clinic

Tags:access to justice clinic environmental 

This clinic involves placement in a public, public interest or private law office to observe and work on environmental or natural resource issues while participating in a discussion class to reflect on the experience and observations. The class must be taken within one year of the clinical placement. May be taken for either 2 or 3 hours of credit.

Educational Goals:

1. To gain experience with the forms in which environmental law is practiced; to share and compare that experience with students experiencing different forms
2. To acquire or sharpen skills of fact-finding, counseling, litigation, administrative practice and dispute resolution in the environmental context;
3. To gain knowledge of elements of the environmental regulatory or public lands management system and to critique these elements
4. To gain perspective on the practice of law and public policy-making in a specialized context

Prerequisites: One (1) of : Environmental Law, Administrative Law, or Natural Resources Cornerstone

Course: The Environmental Practice course will offer detailed evaluation of the practical, procedural and strategic aspects of environmental law using readings and simulated exercises. The course will cover all major elements of environmental practice, including client counseling, negotiation, litigation and rule-making practice (3 credits, graded). Usually offered spring semester, Should be taken concurrently or after.

Placement: (2 or 3 credits, Pass/Fail) summer, fall, or spring semester. Students will be placed in law offices in Salt Lake City with either a federal agency, state attorney general, private law firm or environmental advocacy group. Placements outside of Salt Lake City may be arranged with special permission.

Orientation and Forms

• Time Log (pdf)
• Report Form (pdf)

Faculty: Professor Robert Adler