LL.M. IN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

Director:  Associate Dean Lee C. Paddock; Faculty Advisers J. Grodsky, S. Murphy

The Environmental Law Program offers three fields of study leading to the LL.M. degree. All three fields provide a grounding in the core areas of pollution abatement.

 Environmental Law
 Government Procurement and Environmental Law
 International Environmental Law

Degree Requirements

Twenty-four credit hours are required for the degree, including 4 hours of writing (except for those non-U.S. law school graduates who have been granted a waiver), and completion of the required curriculum as outlined below for each field of study: 

LL.M. in Environmental Law

The Environmental Law field gives students flexibility in planning their programs of study, allowing them to choose from many environmental law courses. Students in this field take Thesis (690–91) and a minimum of 12 credits from the following courses are required; if the thesis is waived, an additional 4 credits in courses in the field graded on the basis of a research paper are required:

• Air Pollution Control (432)
• Water Pollution Control (434)
• Trade and Sustainable Development (435)
• Water Resources Law (436)
• Coastal, Navigation, and Wetlands Resource Law (437)
• Energy Law and Regulation (438)
• Energy and the Environment (439)
• Natural Resources Law (440)
• Regulation and Management of Ecosystems (441)
• Control of Solid and Hazardous Wastes (RCRA & CERCLA) (442)
• Toxic Tort Litigation (449)
• Federal Facilities Environmental Law Issues (450)
• Environmental Issues in Business Transactions (452)
• International Environmental Law (454)
• Environmental Planning (456)
• Sustainable Regional Growth Seminar (457)
• Environmental Negotiations (458)
• Environmental Crimes (464)
• Environmental Crimes Project (465)
• Environmental Law Seminar (466)
• Graduate Environmental Placement (468)
• Government Contracts and Environmental Law Seminar (507)

LL.M. in Government Procurement and Environmental Law

The Government Procurement and Environmental Law field addresses the environmental work done by governments at the federal, state, and local level using government contracts, and the fact that many firms doing business with the government have legal problems that involve both contracting and environmental laws. 

For students in this field, Thesis (690–91) and the following courses are required; if the thesis is waived, an additional 4 credits in courses in the field graded on the basis of a research paper are required:

• Air Pollution Control (432)
• Water Pollution Control (434)
• Control of Solid and Hazardous Wastes (RCRA & CERCLA) (442)
• Formation of Government Contracts (502)
• Performance of Government Contracts (503)
• Government Contracts Cost and Pricing (506) or Government Contracts and Environmental Law Seminar (507)

LL.M. in International Environmental Law

The International Environmental Law field was developed in recognition of the increasing focus of environmental policy on issues of global concern, from international trade to global climate change.

For students in this field, Thesis (690–91) and the following courses are required; if the thesis is waived, an additional 4 credits in courses in the field graded on the basis of a research paper are required:

• Air Pollution Control (432)
• Water Pollution Control (434)
• Trade and Sustainable Development (435)
• Control of Solid and Hazardous Wastes (RCRA & CERCLA) (442)
• International Environmental Law (454)
• International Law (520)
• International Business Transactions (522) or International Organizations (530)

Full- and Part-Time Study

About two-thirds of environmental law graduate students attend full time and complete the program in one calendar year (two semesters and one summer). Part-time students
are expected to complete their degree requirements in two calendar years. Admission to the program for both full- and part-time students is generally granted for the fall semester; spring admission may be allowed in special circumstances at the discretion of the program director.

Joint Degree with the School of Public Health and Health Services (LL.M./M.P.H.)

The Law School and the School of Public Health and Health Services offer a joint LL.M./M.P.H. program that includes a specialization in environmental-occupational health. Students must be admitted to both degree programs separately. Six credit hours of successfully completed course work may be transferred between programs. In addition, an LL.M./M.P.H. candidate may use the Law School's required thesis to satisfy a portion of the special project requirement of the M.P.H. program. A certificate program is also available.

The Thesis and Research Opportunities

LL.M. students writing a thesis do so under the supervision of a full-time faculty member. The thesis represents the student's synthesis of course work into a creative study that is submitted in the form of a publishable law review article. The faculty assists students in selecting cutting-edge topics, works with students on thesis development, and provides advice on potential publishing opportunities; most students who are interested in doing so publish their theses. This major research project is a catalyst for students to learn to use a variety of published and unpublished information sources, and to develop opportunities to meet and discuss their ideas with some of the nation's leading policy and decision makers.

Internships

Students can individualize their degree programs through the Graduate Environmental Placement course, which places students in internships with government agencies or nonprofit organizations concerned with environmental issues. Students can engage in legal analysis and policy formulation at the White House Council on Environmental Quality; the EPA; the Departments of Justice, Energy, Interior, and Defense; or may work for nonprofit environmental organizations. The placement program is a valuable tool for students with specialized interests in subjects such as wildlife preservation or historical property protection, and it can be used to augment the student's thesis research.