Students in the environmental and natural resources law program at the S.J. Quinney College of Law held a variety of positions in government agencies, private practice and nongovernmental organizations focused this summer. Four S.J. Quinney College of Law students shared their experiences this summer working with government agencies and nonprofit organizations.
Caitlin Imhoff (Class of 2024, Khazeni Fellow) connected with the Earth Law Center, where she collaborated with the Executive Director Grant Wilson and other staff and students on the Great Salt Lake Resolution. She also independently drafted a bill related to the Great Salt Lake. Asked about the most valuable aspect of her summer, Caitlin noted that it was hard to choose but said that it was invaluable seeing true environmental advocacy in action: “I felt empowered taking real action steps in an effort to combat the variety of issues facing the Great Salt Lake, and the encouragement and feedback from Mr. Wilson furthered both my legal writing skills and my confidence as a practitioner in this field.”
Carter Moore (Class of 2024) was the O’Hara fellow at the Utah Attorney General’s Office, Division of Natural Resources, where he served as a law clerk doing research and writing projects for all the Divisions contained within the state Department of Natural Resources, including work related to the Great Salt Lake, water rights, wildlife issues, responsible oil, gas and mining development, and state parks and recreation. “The most valuable aspect of this work was certainly the breadth of work and involvement in these burgeoning issues,” Carter noted, “but specifically I enjoyed being able to represent the Division of Oil, Gas and Mining before the adjudicatory board under the third-year practice rule. This allowed me to gain valuable experience in an evidentiary hearing and interact deeply with the experts and regulators in such an important, changing field.”
Tess Peterson (Class of 2025) spent the summer working with Utah’s Public Land Policy Coordinating Office (PLPCO) as a legal intern. She worked alongside S.J. Quinney College of Law student Haley Kendall (Class of 2025), where both students had a fabulous experience. “In addition to being kind and welcoming, the folks at PLPCO are hardworking, capable, and full of knowledge,” noted Tess. “I have learned so much about public lands law, administrative activities, and the Utah state government. While I enjoyed all the work, spending time in San Juan County exploring Utah’s public lands and interviewing witnesses was certainly a highlight!”
Saige Watrin (Class of 2024) had the opportunity to continue working as a law clerk for the environment section of the Utah Attorney General’s office. “One of the most valuable aspects of my summer work,” Saige noted, “was learning the process of implementing environmental laws as I conducted research and reviewed State and Federal Implementation Plans. I also thoroughly enjoyed learning from and working with the section’s wonderful attorneys and staff.”