UBC Clinic for Environmental Law

What's an environmental law clinic?

• Allowing students to take on real cases for real clients under the supervision of an experienced lawyer and gain valuable, practical experience in the practice of law
• Filling a need in the community - providing access to legal services to under-represented groups of people
• Giving students experience in the management of a law firm or non-profit organization

The UBC Clinic for Environmental Law (CEL)

 At UBC, several members of the Environmental Law Group have been working over the Summer of 2007 to establish an environmental law clinic.  The details of the clinic are still being planned, but the clinic will begin in Spring Term, 2008 with 8 law students participating under the supervision of an experienced environmental lawyer. You can read the final proposal for the clinic here.  The clinic will take the form of a course (currently Law 390) worth four credits.  The course meets weekly to discuss cases that students are working on and present topics to assist students in working for their clients. Much of the work for the clinic will be done outside of class, however. Students will be conducting research, writing briefs, and perhaps arguing cases in environmental tribunals.

One important proposal for the CEL is to make it an interdisciplinary clinic.  This means that teams of law students would be matched with graduate students in other disciplines, such as environmental sciences, business, journalism, or any other related field. 

What kind of cases and clients will the clinic take on?

Right now, the cases for the clinic are still being determined. Clients might include individuals, non-governmental organizations or communities.  Some of the work for the clients might be writing policy papers or advocacy pieces. For other clients, students might be assisting with an appeal to the Environmental Appeals Board.

For more information or to help plan the clinic,

contact the ELG at ubc.elg@gmail.com