Environmental Law Externship (Fall Only)

Michael Panfil, Adjunct Professor
Erin Murphy, Adjunct Professor

Who can apply? Rising 2Ls and 3Ls

Application Process: Apply through the HUSL Externship Program Application.

Placement Process: Students secure their own placements prior to applying.
Prerequisite Course(s): None
Recommended Courses: Environmental or Energy Law Course; Administrative Law
Is this program year-long or semester-long? Semester-long (Fall Only)
How many credits? 3 or 4

Through engagement with EDF, NRDC, and other environmental organizations, the environmental law externship program exposes students to substantive environmental law and the real-world practical experience of environmental lawyers. Students will use experiential learning techniques to reflect upon the work of the environmental lawyer, public interest lawyers in general and litigation in non-profit agencies. Students have the opportunity to work on actual cases, give topical presentations during the classroom seminar, and present a moot court argument.

Students will work under the supervision of attorneys at NDRC, EDF or an environmental placement of the student’s choosing. In addition to working at the placement, students will meet for weekly seminar sessions. These sessions will be devoted to the discussion of environmental law and policy and many will include a substantive presentation by an attorney from either EDF, NRDC or a distinguished visiting speaker. Students will be engaged in discussions on current issues in environmental law, environmental policy, and/or environmental lawyering skills, advocacy, legislative strategy, or administrative environmental regulation. Each student may be required to give a brief presentation to the class on an important environmental law or justice issue. The Environmental Law Externship ("ELE") emphasizes environmental policy and litigation with a public interest perspective.

The ELE will accept a maximum of fourteen students per semester in which it is offered. Students will receive three or four credits for successful completion of the course.

Students receive one graded credit for the work in the required, weekly externship seminar and pass/fail credits for their field placement work. For example, a student registered for four credits will receive one graded seminar credit and three pass/fail field placement credits. Students must pass both components (seminar and field placement) to receive any credit for the externship.

Students must complete a minimum of eleven weeks at their field placements. Students must also work for the following minimum number of hours during the relevant semester/term:

3 credits: 110 hours
4 credits: 165 Hours

While there are no prerequisites for the course, recommended companion courses are Administrative Law, Introduction to Environmental Law, Sustainable Development and Environmental Justice.