Natural Resources Clinic
 

The Natural Resources Clinic will combine clinical legal representation of clients in selected natural resources matters with readings and classroom discussions of current developments and issues in natural resources law that are closely related to our cases. Most of the clinic’s case work will involve proceedings before federal and state administrative agencies and judicial review of actions by those agencies. These agencies may include, but will not necessarily be limited to:
 

United States Bureau of Land Management
United States Forest Service
United States Fish & Wildlife Service
United States Bureau of Reclamation
National Park Service
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Arizona State Land Department
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
Arizona Department of Water Resources
 

Students will represent individuals and local, regional, and national non-profit organizations concerned with conservation of natural resources and protection of the environment. Students will, among other things

    • prepare and submit comments on proposed agency rules and other proposed agency actions and on environmental assessments and draft environmental impact statements;
    • write letters to agencies alleging non-compliance with their responsibilities and demanding corrective action;
    • file administrative protests and appeals;
    • prepare legal memoranda;
    • speak at agency public meetings; and
    • engage in litigation seeking judicial review of final agency actions. 
       
The classroom component of the clinic will consist of two one-hour class meetings each week. For purposes of the class meetings, the semester will be divided into three parts: (1) review of key natural resources statutes; (2) discussion of assigned readings including recent and pending cases, legislation, and agency regulations (3) presentations by clinic students about the cases on which they are working.
 
Students are required to put in 150 hours of work in the course of the semester including case work and class preparation time (but not in-class time).
 
With the permission of the instructor, a student who has completed the Clinic may enroll for an optional second semester, for one or two credits, to continue work on one or more ongoing cases.

 
Special Notes

(1) Students in the Natural Resources Clinic must be certified for student practice under Rule 38(d) of the Rules of the Supreme Court of Arizona.
 
(2) The following characteristics of the Natural Resources Clinic may differ from some other clinics at this and other law schools:
  • Most of the Clinic’s advocacy involves legal issues rather than factual issues.
  • Most of the work will be written; there will be relatively few opportunities for oral advocacy or “in court” work. 
  • A substantial portion of the class periods will be devoted to the study of substantive law.
  • Most of the Clinic’s work involves administrative agencies rather than courts.
  • Most of the Clinic’s clients will be public interest organizations rather than individuals. 
  • Most client contact will involve work with lawyers, scientists, and other professionals.
  • Some of the Clinic’s cases are likely to be high-profile matters covered in the local and national press.
 

Fact Sheet 
 
Application - This clinic is not available in Fall 2013.  It will be available in Spring 2014.
 

  

Joseph Feller,
Director