Course Details

Clinic Practice: Environmental Advocacy

This course is designed to provide a multidisciplinary clinical experience, emphasizing a broad-based view of legal strategy, skills development and environmental solutions. Clinic cases generally focus on environmental justice, energy and sustainability, and natural resources protection. Recent and ongoing projects include live complex litigation before courts and agencies, commenting to and advocating before administrative agencies, policy and legislative research and drafting, and advocacy within international environmental law frameworks. Most of the clinic’s work is on behalf of Chicago-area environmental justice organizations, such as the Southeast Environmental Taskforce, Immigrant Solidarity DuPage, among several others. The clinic also often partners with leading environmental organizations, including the Environmental Law & Policy Center, Respiratory Health Association, Natural Resources Defense Council, and the World Wildlife Fund. The clinic includes a weekly seminar that focuses on connecting students’ project work for clients with broader principles of environmental law and key practice skill development. The seminar also affords students with opportunities to interact with clients and practicing attorneys across a broad spectrum of environmental law practice. The Environmental Advocacy Clinic teaches students to pursue environmental solutions through strategies that incorporate a broad range of legal and advocacy options. Students may participate in environmental litigation, administrative proceedings, legislative and rulemaking proceedings, public advocacy and media activities and work with attorneys, scientists, economists, and legislative experts. Through their participation in environmental cases, projects and weekly seminars, students will develop diverse lawyering and advocacy skills in assessing environmental issues and developing strategies, often using multiple legal and advocacy strategies, to address real environmental problems impacting our clients, partners, and communities.

Catalog Number: LITARB 729
Practice Areas: Civil Lit. and Dispute ResolutionEnvironmental Law AreaLegal Skills Development
Additional Course Information: Elec - Environmental Law Conc,  Experiential Learning


Course History

Spring 2024
Title: Clinic Practice: Environmental Advocacy
Faculty: Weinstock, Robert A. (courses | profile)
Section: 1     Credits: 4.0
Capacity: 8     Actual: 8

Fall 2023
Title: Clinic Practice: Environmental Advocacy
Faculty: Weinstock, Robert A. (courses | profile)
Section: 1     Credits: 4.0
Capacity: 8     Actual: 9

Spring 2023
Title: Clinic Practice: Environmental Advocacy
Faculty: Weinstock, Robert A. (courses | profile)
Schuhardt, Jacob
Section: 1     Credits: 4.0
Capacity: 8     Actual: 8

Fall 2022
Title: Clinic Practice: Environmental Advocacy
Faculty: Weinstock, Robert A. (courses | profile)
Section: 1     Credits: 4.0
Capacity: 4     Actual: 4

Spring 2022
Title: Clinic Practice: Environmental Advocacy
Faculty: Loeb, Nancy C. (courses | profile)
Section: 1     Credits: 4.0
Capacity: 8     Actual: 8

Fall 2021
Title: Clinic Practice: Environmental Advocacy
Faculty: Loeb, Nancy C. (courses | profile)
Section: 1     Credits: 4.0
Capacity: 8     Actual: 8