Laura Bucher Murphy

Laura Murphy is a staff attorney and assistant professor of law in the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic. She currently focuses on a variety of Clean Water Act work, agriculture and a project to help people who live near industrial animal factories protest their property tax assessments.

Laura received her BA degree in drama and religion, generali cum laude, from Vassar College in 1994 and her JD degree, summa cum laude, from Pace University School of Law in 2006 with a certificate in environmental law. Laura has deep appreciation for clinical education, having worked on behalf of Trout Unlimited and Riverkeeper in a major Clean Water Act case while a student in Pace's Environmental Litigation Clinic.  She also interned with National Wildlife Federation in Washington, D.C.,  Conservation Law Foundation in Montpelier, and the Honorable Janet C. Hall of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut. Prior to joining Vermont Law School in 2007, she worked with CLF and CLF Ventures in Montpelier.

Before law school, Laura spent several years doing theatre regionally and in NYC, as well as waiting many tables, tending bar, and teaching yoga. She is also interested in animal law and sustainable agriculture issues, and helped plan VLS's  conference 'Food, Fuel, & the Future of Farming.'