Environmental Law Clinic
 |
A Look Inside the Environmental Law Clinic Featuring Director & Assistant Professor Mike Harris |
|
Clinic Information
Since 1984, the Environmental Law Clinic at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law has provided real world experience for students interested in both developing practical legal skills and exploring the practice of environmental law. Under the supervision of Professor Michael Harris, Director of the Environmental Law Clinic, and Kevin Lynch, Environmental Law Clinic Fellow, students represent environmental advocacy organizations before courts and administrative agencies in a broad range of environmental matters, including endangered species, public lands, air quality and public health.
The Environmental Law Clinic offers students two practice tracks to choose from: The Colorado Urban Project (CUP) and The Federal Wildlife Project (FWP). Students who select the Colorado Urban Project Track work to address the emerging environmental issues along Colorado’s urban Front Range. These students will utilize both federal and state laws to tackle these urban environmental issues, including the Federal Clean Water Act, Federal Clean Air Act, local land use planning and environmental justice policies. More information on CUP can be found in this recent article published by the Sturm College of Law Alumni Office: Can The Law Protect Our Environmental Future?
Students who select the Federal Wildlife Project track will work on the preservation of endangered species and their habitats throughout Colorado and the western United States. FWP students will utilize a variety of federal environmental statutes to promote the goals of their clients, including the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the National Forest Management Act.
The clinic has an exciting and challenging case docket. Clinic students are working hard to protect Northern African antelope and tropical birds from around the world; protect forest lands and fresh water supplies in the Rio Grande National Forest in Colorado; address impacts to native salmon fisheries from largely unregulated salmon farms in British Columbia; ensure that new coal-fired power plants in Colorado meet federal regulatory requirements to reduce mercury and other hazardous air pollutants; and curb childhood lead poisoning associated with substandard low-income housing in Denver. Specific information on the clinic’s docket is available here.
Feel free to contact us with any questions at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)