LLM GUIDE - Master of Laws (LL.M.) Programs Worldwide

The LL.M. in Environmental Law

The development and the future of specialized environmental LL.M. programs

By V. Wish, Apr 23, 2006

Mount McKinley, Alaska

Since the 1970’s, environmental and natural resource law has become a popular area of legal studies worldwide. As the number of governmental and non-governmental organizations concerned with environmental issues has increased dramatically over the past two decades, so has the demand for lawyers with extensive knowledge of environmental law.

“Environmental law is a pervasive influence in virtually any kind of business or legal transaction these days,” says Jan Laitos, professor of law and director of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Program at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. “Graduates of LL.M. programs, such as ours here at DU, have found jobs all over the world – with businesses, law firms, and governments.”

Many students who take a specialized LL.M. program in environmental law can go on to work as private practice lawyers, policymakers, advisers, or teachers in various fields of environmental law, including sustainability, natural resources management, government regulation, and environmental protection.

Several law schools around the world now offer specialized postgraduate programs focused specifically on environmental law. These include the LL.M. degrees offered by the University of Denver, University of Oregon, University of Sydney, Vermont Law School, University of London, George Washington University, University of Auckland, and the University of Kent. A number of highly specialized programs, such as the University of Dundee - Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy (CEPMLP), are also available to interested lawyers.

Add these programs to the many other law schools around the world that now offer individual courses and concentrations in environmental law as part of their LL.M. programs, and we see a field of law that is clearly growing. When environmental law is the concentration of a law school or program, students can expect a broad selection of courses ranging from the general to the specific.

At Lewis & Clark Law School, for example, both LL.M. and J.D. students in the Environmental Law and Natural Resources program can choose from over forty classes and seminars that cover general and international subjects like international environmental law, environmental regulation, and environmental litigation, as well as more specific courses, such as those focusing on Pacific Salmon law, Northwest energy law, and the Clean Air Act.

“The beauty of an LLM is that students spend one year fully immersed in the field of environmental law,” says Janice Weis, director and assistant dean of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Program at Lewis & Clark. “This intensive course of study prepares students well for a variety of practice areas. It provides a “big picture” or broad context for the field, in hand with focused study on the most important and cutting-edge issues – an invaluable perspective for a future environmental lawyer.”

Many law schools also try to find an effective balance in the scope of their programs between local and international environmental issues. Professor William Howarth, who directs the Environmental Law and Policy program at Kent Law School in Canterbury, U.K., considers both local and international perspectives to be important.

“Probably the main emphasis of [our] programme is upon national and European Community environmental law, but in many respects this needs to be placed in a wider international context,” says Howarth.

Professors within the field are confident that the importance of environmental law will not diminish in the coming years. In fact, as long as environmental issues continue to snatch media headlines and attract serious attention from governments around the world, it seems logical that knowledge of environmental affairs will continue to be a valuable asset for lawyers on the international job market.

“I believe the demand for competent and talented environmental lawyers will continue to rise, and therefore the demand for environmental LLMs,” says Professor Weis. “In addition there are a myriad of new issues that arise all the time that require legal expertise, including natural disasters, global pollution, ecosystem management, land use planning, international conservation of species and environmental law.”

“The field of environmental law will continue to expand to meet modern needs and views.”

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Comments

  1. rita, Tue May 20, 2008 04:42 PM

    I am attending this program at American Univeristy
    Summer Session on Environmental Law and reccomend it to current law students who are thinking about applying to an LLM in Environmanetal law.
    law students and practitioners with an opportunity for intensive environmental law training over a two-week period. The summer session offers a broad range of courses taught by leading practitioners from government, business and non-governmental organizations

  2. Nigussie Afesha, Wed Sep 24, 2008 06:07 AM

    I am a law grauate.If I get this chance I will bring great change.

  3. saada mussa said, Wed Sep 24, 2008 07:53 AM

    if get a chance to join with i will up grade my nation

  4. Haftom Girmay, Mon Nov 10, 2008 10:28 AM

    i am a law graduate with LLB and if i get the chance to join the university, i am definately sure that i can bring a real change in the place in which i am living.

  5. M Hussain Shahbaz, Tue Nov 25, 2008 04:48 PM

    I have already done LL M from Karachi University. I want to continue my studies in Environmental Laws.

  6. Himanshu, Sat Dec 27, 2008 04:34 AM

    I'll be graduating in the month of May, 2009 and i wish to pursue LLM in Environmental Law from UK or US.

  7. BZAYENEH, Mon Jan 05, 2009 11:50 AM

    I am a citzen of Ethipia ,currently working as legal Assistance in the head Quarter E.P.R.D.F OFFICE at Addis Ababa.ihave heard about the scholar ship offered for advancing Africa,However,,i could not get enough information on how andwher to apply for the scholarship.Would you please provide all the necessary information to apply for the scholarship.I would like to thank you in advance for your cooperation.

  8. NIYIBIZI Tite, Sat Jan 17, 2009 04:59 PM

    I am a citzen of rwanda i am rwandan, i am a law graduate with LLB and if i get the chance to join the university, i am definately sure that i can bring a real change in the place in which i am living. i have done a reseach " la reparation du prejudice ecologique en droit rwandais". if you give me the opportunity to study in LLM ENVIRONNEMENTAL LAW. I will improve may nowlegle in this field.

  9. wondu mamo, Thu Feb 19, 2009 10:56 AM

    I am a prosecutor in a ministry of justice of Ethiopia and if i get the chance to study on the program you have,definately i will serve the institution,the people and the counrty with more deligence.would you also provide all the necessary information to apply for the scholarship with an advance thanks to you.

  10. Desire MUHIRE, Sun Mar 08, 2009 11:28 AM

    Africa is not far from its nature comparing to other continents. It is quite wise to take precautions to save its environment. As a Rwandan citizen holding a bachelor degree in law (LLB), I will be very gratefull to get the scholarship to fight against the detorioration of our planet

  11. James Papadopolous, Wed May 20, 2009 10:19 PM

    Hello!
    I am an American and am going to receive my J.D. this time next year from Georgetown Law School. If I want to practice International Environmental Law at an International Environmental Law Group based in America, should I be looking at American schools for my LL.M or European? Or Australian/New Zealand? Any advice would be fantastic!
    Thanks

  12. Cyprian Edward-Ekpo, Fri Jul 24, 2009 11:32 PM

    I,am fascinated in your LLM programme of Environmental Law.Please kindly inform me about entry requirement for matured student and international student.
    Thanks and God bless you for anticipated co-operation.
    Yours faithfully,
    Cyprian Edward-Ekpo

  13. saad ibrahim kura, Wed Sep 30, 2009 03:05 PM

    iam a law graduate from A.B.U ZARIA NIGERIA LOOKING FOR SCHOLERSHIP TO DO MY LLM IN ENVIROMENTAL LAW

  14. Nahjela Edith Badoh, Mon Oct 19, 2009 05:15 PM

    I am a law graduate from the university of yaounde II,Cameroon. I am very interested with the enviromental law programme and will like to be inform about the entry requirements.

  15. Tesfaye, Tue Nov 03, 2009 09:49 AM

    I am Tesfaye from Ethiopia, who graduated with LLB degree in the year2007. I am searching for LLM degree in Environmenal law to which I am destined for. I want to stop environmetal degradation with best of my knowledge. Please who ever reads this comment help me whow to do it, and get a scholarship .

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