Academics
Students interested in environmental law have numerous academic opportunities at Carolina Law. The school offers a range of core and cutting-edge specialty classes, and some courses allow students to work on real environmental issues in administrative agencies with the agency personnel. Students may take environmental, energy or resource courses at Duke Law School and North Carolina Central Law School if that course is not offered at UNC in the same semester.
Externship
In addition to traditional classroom instruction on environmental and energy law, students engage in experiential learning on these subjects through enrolling in the Externship Program. Through this academic program, students work with practicing attorneys while supervised by law school faculty. Local sites include:
- NC Department of Justice, Attorney General Environmental – Air, Land, Water
- NC Department of Environmental Quality
- Southern Environmental Law Center
- Environmental Defense Fund
- Duke Energy
- North Carolina Utility Commission/Public Staff
- Headwater Energy
- North Carolina Conservation Network
- Land Loss Prevention Project
- Southern Coalition for Social Justice
- Apex Town Attorney
- Cary Town Attorney
- Charlotte City Attorney
- Durham City Attorney
- Raleigh City Attorney
- EPA Air Quality Division (RTP)
- US Department of Justice Environmental and Natural Resource Divisions
Student Organizations
The student-run Environmental Law Project (ELP) undertakes recycling projects, coordinates pro bono projects, and works with faculty on research exploring current topics in environmental law. ELP students also produce papers for the Environmental Law Symposium at the annual Festival of Legal Learning, North Carolina’s largest environmental law continuing legal education program.
Pro Bono Projects
Carolina Law’s Pro Bono Program connect law students with hundreds of pro bono projects under the supervision of practicing attorneys in both public interest and private practice. The program is administered by a 13-student board and one faculty supervisor who work throughout the year with community partners, legal aid offices, law school student groups, professors, alumni, private attorneys, and fellow students to facilitate individual pro bono projects, special clinics, and group trips in which students can participate.
Recent and current projects include:
Comment to Proposed Rule: Supervised students research, drafting and submission of a Comment to the Environmental Protection Agency in opposition to the agency’s proposal to rescind its Endangerment Finding that greenhouse gas emissions constitute a pollutant endangering public health and welfare under the Clean Air Act.
Well Water Contamination Community Update: Supervising students researching public health concerns and community assistance options for contamination of private wells in the state.
Release of Utility Easements on Heirs Property: Collaborating with the Land Loss Prevention Project and student volunteer to research ways to help owners of heirs property release utility easements from their property.
Moot Court Teams
Carolina Law moot court teams compete in the Jeffrey G. Miller National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition, hosted by the Elizabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, and the National Energy and Sustainability Moot Court Competition, hosted by the West Virginia University College of Law.