Environmental law is an expansive and a vast field of law that deals with a number of issues involving our planet. These issues include those such as water and air quality, harmful waste, protection of various species, waste management, wetlands, agriculture, biodiversity, green activities, sustainability procedures and elective vitality sources.
Climate change and other environmental factors are quite the major deal these days. Global warming is taking a toll on the planet and it is only going to get worse. If working towards achieving a better environment is something that interests you, then environmental law would be the perfect option for you.
So what are you waiting for? Give this article a thorough read to gather all the information that you are looking for.
What is an environmental lawyer?
As climate change is gradually becoming the top concern in nations all over the world, lawyers who are able to guide clients on matters regarding sustainability and green initiatives are much needed. It is assumed that as the concern for climate change and global warming further increases in the upcoming years, the need for environmental lawyers and the legal work regarding such issues will also gain immense popularity.
Typically, environmental lawyers are attorneys who fight for the protection of the environment. These lawyers are experts in legal matters that deal with the air, land and water. In addition to this, they advocate for stable policies for issues such as pollution and waste management. Furthermore, environmental lawyers also fight to safeguard the earth’s biodiversity, agriculture and ecosystems, and tackle other such problems. They also assist huge companies to come up with more sustainable business practices and advise them as to how they can become more green.
Environmental lawyers aim towards protecting our natural environments and aiding humans to live safely in the natural world. It is common for people to assume that environmental lawyers deal with things such as preserving natural parks. However, environmental lawyers can advocate for anything ranging from rare/endangered animals to man-made buildings to the air we breathe in.
What does an environmental lawyer do?
An environmental legal advisor works to speak on behalf of customers in legitimate issues, for example, in water laws, clean technology, environmental change law and the administration of land subject to local title and other open land. Different regions that these lawyers deal with incorporate ecological rights, global natural law, law of the ocean and worldwide assets law. Moreover, environmental attorneys additionally work in the fields regarding environmental change, sustainability and renewable power sources, a developing area of big business all around the world.
Environmental laws are an enormous and complex forte within the legal field. A strong environmental attorney should have excellent communication skills through both verbal and written means. The capability to convince others to a particular perspective assists in winning legal disputes, however, the lawyer additionally should have the option to plan and merge a bounty of subtleties into a viable case.
The job of an environmental lawyer is to work with natural case law and enactment to speak on behalf of different ecological interests. Ecological laws manage and characterize the exercises of people upon the land and organic frameworks that are influenced by contact. Issues, for example, environment, sustainability, duty, and stewardship are regularly cause for lawful activities. Environmental lawyers can speak on behalf of customers in natural issues, advocate for development in ecological arrangement and law together with writing academic articles on ecological law.
Environmental lawyer job description
The main job of an environmental lawyer is to analyze, examine, investigate, and strategize cases to present their client’s best. Moreover, lawyers specializing in this field are required to know about the latest laws regarding global warming and also about any changes that are made in the law. The laws are very comprehensive and can differ from one state to another. Therefore, environmental lawyers who are well aware of the federal and local laws and direct their attention towards certain issues are highly popular and in demand.
As an environmental lawyer, your job requires you to work closely with officials and the government run environmental organization known as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Moreover, the five most important environmental laws that you should know as a lawyer working in the environmental field are:
- The Endangered Species Act
- The Clean Water Act
- The Clean Air Act
- Reformation Plan No. 3 of 1970
- The Montreal Protocol
Cases may include closing down oil penetrating to secure common land or persuading courts that the ecological effect of including new structures is worthy. In general, lawyers in this field battle possibly in support of or against human treatment of animals, land, or water.
Environmental lawyer salary
The average income for an environmental lawyer ranges from almost $113,530 on an annual basis or $54.58 on an hourly basis. Companies are now hiring environmental lawyers at an ever growing pace that is equal to the mean growth for all professions. This continuous increase is mainly because of the ever growing concern and significance of establishing environmental laws and the present need for legal representation. As the world turns out to be all the more ecologically cognizant the market for environmental legal counselors develops and will keep on doing as such.
You must also know that an environmental lawyers salary also depends on a number of different factors such as:
- The years of experience the lawyer has under his/her belt
- The location where they practice in
- Whether the lawyers works in a law firm or individually
Environmental lawyer education requirements
All lawyers are supposed to have a four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. However, this degree does not necessarily have to be in a legal field. After completing the four-year degree program, lawyers usually get a Master of Laws (LLM) or a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an acclaimed law school.
In order to become an environmental attorney, you are required to take law classes that deal with environmental issues. You may also opt to work as an intern at law firms that practice environmental law. To be able to practice law in the courtroom, a student needs to clear the bar exam in their state. Now you can officially speak in the courtroom on behalf of your client and provide them with legal counsel.
In addition to this, most of the experienced and successful environmental lawyers also study further to get a Master of Law (LLM) degree, a master’s degree in Environmental Law, or a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). These options are a great choice for lawyers who are looking for more experienced roles or a higher average income.
Environmental law schools
When thinking about your education, you obviously want to go to the best school possible. If you are searching for good environmental law schools but without any success, then we are here for you. Following is a list of some of the best environmental law schools in the country. Let us have a look:
- Lewis & Clark College (Northwestern)
- University of California–Berkeley
- Pace University (Haub)
- University of California–Los Angeles
- Vermont Law School
- Columbia University
- New York University
- University of Oregon
- University of Utah (Quinney)
- Georgetown University
Conclusion
Going to law school is such a major deal. Therefore, when it comes to specializing, you should choose a field that you absolutely love. If environmental law is something that you like, then you should totally go for it. This article has all the answers to your questions.
Now that you know everything about environmental lawyers, you should go and chase your dreams.
