Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic Fellowship

LLM in Environmental Law

The LLM in Environmental Law degree is designed for a select group of post-JD candidates seeking to specialize in the practice of environmental law, or pursue careers in teaching, research, or public policy. Candidates include recent law school graduates and practicing lawyers who wish to develop an environmental law specialty. The cornerstone of the LLM program is the Graduate Seminar. A minimum of 30 academic credits are required to complete the program. For the ENRLC Clinic Fellow, this 30 credit program is spread over two years. Vermont Law School's environmental law curriculum includes more than 50 courses in environmental law, policy, science, and ethics. For more information about the LLM program, please visit: http://www.vermontlaw.edu/Academics/Degrees/Master_of_Laws_(LLM).htm

Description of the Clinic Fellow Position

In addition to pursuing the LLM degree, the Clinic Fellow is expected to work part-time (at least 20 hours per week) in the ENRLC. The Fellow will take a lead role in managing a project designed to provide assistance to communities faced with toxic pollution problems throughout northern New England. This project, the Partnership for Justice: Protecting the Rights of Pollution-Impacted Communities, is a joint effort between the ENRLC and Toxics Action Center, a non-profit organization that assists the community groups throughout northern New England with organization, outreach, media, and strategy development. The ENRLC's primary role is to engage in comprehensive regulatory analysis, provide sound legal advice to community groups, and help them navigate the regulatory processes applicable to their situation. In appropriate instances, the Fellow may also help lay the groundwork for litigation, although this fellowship is not a litigation-oriented position. The Clinic Fellow will work closely with the ENRLC Director and other clinic faculty and staff to represent clients and supervise student clinicians. The Fellow's responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Working with and supervising student clinicians to provide legal assistance to help community groups in northern New England, including analyzing the maze of federal and state environmental laws, regulations, and administrative processes that apply to proposed industrial projects, contaminated site cleanups, and other pollution-related projects;
• Communicating with Toxics Action Center and community groups to provide legal counseling and advice in person or through other means, including at night and on weekends;
• Managing the partnership between ENRLC and Toxics Action Center, including taking a lead role in administrative, contracting, and grant funding reporting duties;
• Working with the ENRLC Director to support and promote the project, including planning for future funding for the project;
• Working with Toxics Action Center to identify local counsel for community groups when necessary and to expand the list of experts, scientists, engineers and attorneys who will provide their services to community groups for free or at a reduced rate in the region;
• Supporting a referral system by which individuals and groups who contact the ENRLC for legal assistance in addressing toxic pollution in New England are referred to Toxics Action Center for community organizing assistance.
• Participating in the day-to-day life of the ENRLC, including weekly staff meetings, seminars, and strategy sessions.

The Fellow may also choose to participate in a teaching practicum for academic credit in which s/he assists Clinic faculty in teaching student clinicians. The teaching practicum offers opportunities to teach in both a traditional classroom setting for the clinic's weekly seminar class and in a clinical role as a supervising attorney to help guide and mentor students in their work on clinic cases and projects.

Summary of Clinic Fellow Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school
• Minimum of two years of prior legal experience, including experience practicing environmental law
• Strong legal research and writing, interpersonal, and communications skills
• Demonstrated commitment to environmental conservation and public interest law preferred, and experience with environmental justice issues is particularly helpful
• Admission to the LLM in Environmental Law program at Vermont Law School (application for LLM admission can occur concurrently with application for Clinic Fellow position and the same references can be used for both applications)
• Admission to Vermont Bar (can be obtained within first year of Clinic Fellow position)
• Willingness to travel regionally and work with clients at night and on weekends