If you are a conservationist or staunch supporter of efforts being made to protect the environment, environmental law is a topic that might be of interest to you. Of course, to pursue a career in environmental law you must pursue years of education and internship training. It is helpful to have good academic ability; however, it is also useful to have good social skills since lawyers often communicate with their clients and others both in and out of the courtroom. Nonetheless, if you are willing to do the necessary work, you can successfully pursue this career. Here are some steps to follow in order to become an environmental lawyer.
Education and Undergraduate Internship
If you hope to become an environmental lawyer, it is necessary for you to earn a four-year college degree. Granted, your college degree does not necessarily have to be focused in law. In fact, it is possible for you to select any major; however, it would probably be advantageous for you to do a law-related major since this could give you early exposure to the types of topics you will study in law school.
Also, a college undergraduate internship as an office assistant in a environmental law office where you are able to work under supervision, learn, and observe could be helpful. Having this type of internship will enable you to figure out if pursuing environmental law would be appropriate for your career interests. Also, having an environmental law office internship on your resume might improve your chances of being accepted to law school.
Application and Being a Law Student
Typically, you will apply to law school during the final year of college. If you go to school full-time, law school will be three years in duration. During law school you will take courses such as legal writing, legal research, criminal procedure, civil procedure, and intellectual property. You will also take courses more specific to environmental law such as but not limited to legal ecology, wetlands, urban biodiversity, or solar and wind development for example. You will become familiar with federal environmental laws. In fact some law schools even offer a specialization or certificate in environmental law.
After the second year of law school, you will complete a summer internship at an environmental law firm. Or, by contrast, you may be able to do an internship at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). You’ll gain supervised experience in various aspects of environmental law practice. At the completion of this internship, you will return to law school to complete your final year of law coursework. Upon completion of your courses, you will get the Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) degree.
Becoming Licensed and Working as an Environmental Lawyer
Upon graduation from law school, you have to pass the bar exam. The bar exam gives you an opportunity to demonstrate your expertise in various areas of law, not solely environmental law. Passing the bar exam makes you eligible to apply for law licensure in whichever state or locale you intend to practice.
Once licensed you can then seek a job as an environmental lawyer. You could draft documents or do legal research and you could be involved in the courtroom in the effort to sue to protect the environment. You could choose to work and an environmental law firm or you could choose to work for a government agency. In some cases, you might also end up working for a private company that in order to help the company make sure that they are compliant with environmental laws. Or, you might choose to eventually become a law professor who specializes in environmental law.
Sources
- Epa.gov (2011). Environmental Protection Agency: Legal internships. Retrieved May 9, 2011.
- Isac.org (2011). Thinking about law school. Retrieved May 9, 2011.
Elva Keaton - Elva Keaton has written education, career, health, and fitness articles since 2005. She has a bachelor's degree in economics, several ...
