8. Environmental Law at Elisabeth Haub School of Law

The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University is pleased to offer an internationally acclaimed education in environmental law. We are proud that, for decades, our environmental law program has been ranked among the top in the country. With over 40 courses in environmental law, our exciting curriculum trains the lawyers of tomorrow in proven techniques to solve complex environmental, land use, energy, and natural resources challenges.

Our campus lies at the intersection of two worlds: the beautiful, historic Hudson River Valley, where the environmental movement was founded, and the exciting cultural hub of New York City, which is home to the United Nations. Our location allows the environmental law program to offer unparalleled opportunities for students. With several on-campus research centers addressing energy, climate change, land use, food and agriculture, and global environmental law, and a wide variety of local and international hands-on externships and clinics, Pace Law is a dynamic place to learn environmental law and gain valuable practical skills.

JD and Environmental Law Certificate Program

Pace Law’s environmental law program attracts many highly qualified students from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures, making this one of the most diverse and exciting environmental law programs in the world. Thanks to our dedicated faculty of environmental experts and innovators, Pace Law is a leader in training students for legal practice. Students may opt to earn an Environmental Law Certificate while obtaining their JD degree. The certificate’s rigorous requirements and standards equip students to excel in the practice of environmental law. Our exciting curriculum is updated regularly to ensure our students are well informed about current trends in the field.

Post-Graduate Programs in Environmental Law

For individuals who have already earned a JD or equivalent degree, Pace Law offers a Master of Laws (LLM) in Environmental Law with a variety of specializations, including Energy and Climate Change Law, Land Use and Sustainable Development Law, and Global Environmental Law. Pace also offers the nation’s only Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) dedicated to environmental law.

Joint Degree Programs

Pace Law’s joint degree programs help environmental law students save time in earning a related advanced degree along with their JD degree. Programs include: JD/Master of Environmental Management or JD/Master of Forestry with Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies; JD/Master of Science in Environmental Policy with Bard College Center for Environmental Policy; JD/Master of Environmental Policy with Pace University’s Dyson School of Arts and Sciences; JD/Master of Business Administration with Pace University’s Lubin School of Business; JD/Master of Public Administration with Pace University’s Dyson College of Arts and Sciences; JD/MA in Women’s History with Sarah Lawrence College.

Practical Experience Outside the Classroom

Pace Law offers environmentally focused externships, clinics, moot courts, and other experiential opportunities where students learn how to become practice-ready attorneys, including:

 Pace Environmental Litigation Clinic – Pace Law’s award-winning Clinic, directed by Professors Karl Coplan and Todd Ommen, is one of the oldest and most respected environmental clinics in the country, putting students in the driver’s seat of challenging cases with guidance from expert attorneys. Clinic students develop outstanding lawyering skills, which include case planning, the integration of facts and law, client counseling, negotiation, drafting legal documents, and pretrial and trial advocacy.  Food and Beverage Law Clinic – Pace Law’s Food and Beverage Law Clinic provides transactional legal services to small- and medium-sized farmers implementing innovative and sustainable farming practices, mission-oriented food entrepreneurs, and food justice non-profit organizations. Students complete projects in areas of critical need including access to land, access to capital, farm ownership succession and estate planning, eligibility for federal and state programs and benefits, and compliance with federal, state, and local regulatory laws, including food safety law labeling requirements, labor law, and zoning.

 UN Environmental Diplomacy Practicum – Unique among legal externships, this practicum invites students to work with Permanent Missions to the United Nations. This experience is an invaluable opportunity to learn the diplomacy process, attend UN negotiations, and write a research paper to help a delegation or member state understand and act upon environmental issues. Students work closely with ambassadors and foreign ministers developing environmental policy for their nations.  Environmental Externship in Washington, DC – This summer externship allows rising 2L and 3L students to gain practical experience in the environmental legal arena under attorney supervision, with emphasis on the type of work conducted in DC. Past placements include the White House Council on Environmental Quality;

US Environmental Protection Agency; US Department of Justice; US Department of Interior; US Department of Energy; Natural Resources Defense Council; Environmental Defense Fund; Humane Society of the United States; and many other government, and nonprofit organizations.  Environmental & Public Interest Externships – During the academic year and summer, many students work for academic credit at environmental law agencies throughout the New York metropolitan area, including the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, the US Environmental Protection Agency, the

NYC Department of Environmental Protection, and various nonprofit organizations.  Pace-NRDC Food Law Initiative – This collaboration between Pace and the Natural Resources Defense

Council’s New York Office aims to address the legal service needs of food justice organizations, farmers, community groups and others as well as increasing capacity of the legal community to meet those needs through education of law students and training of lawyers. Students have the opportunity to work with

NRDC’s food law team in internships offered each semester in Manhattan.  Brazil-American Institute for Law & Environment – The Brazil Comparative Environmental Law course draws upon Pace Law’s relationships with top Brazilian universities to give students a unique opportunity to be involved in important international and comparative research. After choosing a research focus and attending classes on campus, students travel to Brazil to experience first-hand the environmental issues of a rapidly developing country. They meet with high-level prosecutors and judges in Rio de Janeiro, take urban eco-tours, and explore one of Brazil’s unique bioregions.

On-Campus Research & Learning Opportunities

 Global Center for Environmental Legal Studies (GCELS) – GCELS provides high-level legal research to many international organizations. Students working with the Center assist with researching and editing important publications, such as the 50 States Climate Change Survey. The Center is a voting member of the International

Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network, as well as Secretariat to the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law with the University of Maryland Francis King Carey

School of Law.  Land Use Law Center for Sustainable Development – Students are involved in all aspects of this Center which produces leading conferences, courses, trainings, publications, and resources on contemporary land use, real estate, and environmental issues. The student-driven Research and Innovation Program identifies solutions to complex land use problems of urban and suburban communities. The Land Use Leadership

Alliance (LULA) program leads the nation in educating local land use leaders in land use law and community decision-making.  Pace Energy & Climate Center – This Center involves Pace Law student interns in every aspect of its work in a multitude of cutting-edge climate and renewable energy issues. The Center advises local, state, and national governments and hosts numerous professional workshops featuring innovative energy experts throughout the academic year.  Pace Environmental Law Review (PELR) – PELR was one of the first scholarly journals established in the field of environmental law. Devoted to commentary and analysis of environmental law issues, the studentrun journal publishes scholarly articles from professors around the world, the annual Lloyd K. Garrison Lecture in Environmental Law, the winning briefs of the National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition, and the proceedings of colloquia on environmental law issues.

Many on-campus environmental organizations and activities also enrich the educational experience at Pace Law. Additionally, distinguished lecture series bring outstanding environmental thinkers and scholars to campus. 15