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DEGREE AND CERTIFICATES

ENR Program - Degrees and Statements of Completion

As part of the full-time three year doctor of jurisprudence degree program, students can elect to pursue statements of completion in environmental law and ocean and coastal law. Additionally, the University of Oregon offers a joint degree program through the law school and environmental studies department. The University of Oregon School of Law is also seeking final approval from the State Board of Higher Education to offer a one year master's in environmental law degree program.

Statement of Completion in Environmental Law

Second and third-year students at the School of Law can emphasize course work in environmental and natural resources law. For a complete overview of the requirements, please see the Statement of Completion in Environmental Law.

Students must satisfactorily complete a total of seven courses selected from Groups A and B. A minimum of four courses must be selected from Group A. The remaining three courses must be selected from Group A or Group B. Substitutions may be allowed under certain circumstances (see Statement of Completion).

Group A Courses:

Administrative Law
Environment and Pollution
Environmental Law Clinic
Public Land Law
Natural Resources Law
Water Resources Law

Group B Courses:

Advanced Environmental Law Clinic
American Indian Policy
Climate Change Litigation
Coastal Law
Comparative Environmental Law
Environment and Energy
Environmental Justice
Global Environmental Challenges
Hazardous Waste Law
Human Rights and the Environment
Indian Law
International Environmental Law
Land Use Law
Law of the Sea
Non-Profit Organizations
Ocean and Coastal Law
Public Trust Law
Tribal Courts and Tribal Law
Wildlife Law

Students are required to complete an academic research paper of high professional quality concerning environmental or natural resource law. This requirement may be fulfilled in conjunction with any of the Group A or Group B courses. The paper must be of equivalent depth and quality as that of a paper for the Law School's Comprehensive writing requirement, not the Basic writing requirement.

Statement of Completion in Ocean and Coastal Law

Second- and third-year students at the School of Law are eligible to begin developing a specialty in the field of ocean and coastal law. An Ocean and Coastal Law Statement of Completion may be obtained by completing one of the following programs:

Course-based Program

Research Assistant Program

Fellowship Program
Students must serve as a marine law or policy fellow in a state or federal fellowship program for at least one semester. For further information, or to obtain an application form, please contact: Jill Forcier, Ocean and Coastal Law Center Administrative Assistant, tel. 346-3845, e-mail.

Pro Bono Statement of Completion

A primary mission of the ENR program is to be of service to the community. The ENR program encourages its students to engage in pro bono work during law school. Upon completion of 40 hours of pro bono work, students receive a pro bono certificate of completion. The University of Oregon School of Law is a leader among Oregon law schools in pro bono service and seeks to create even more opportunities for students in this area. The pro bono program is directed by Jane Steckbeck, Assistant Director of Career Services. This sheet provides information to organizations seeking pro bono assistance from UO law students. Additional information is available through Jane Steckbeck, (541) 346-3809.

Which organizations are eligible to receive pro bono service?
The provider must be a non-profit (501(c)(3)) organization, a governmental agency, a tribal agency, or a private attorney doing pro bono work for any of those entities. Organizations, businesses, and firms that operate for profit are not qualified to receive pro bono assistance through the UO program. The pro bono assistance program does not extend to the courts. Pro bono providers need not be situated locally or in the State of Oregon. Past pro bono providers in the ENR area include: Earth Justice Legal Defense Fund, U.S. Department of Justice, Western Environmental Law Center, Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals, Defenders of Wildlife, Idaho Rivers United, LandWatch of Lane County, Northwest Environmental Justice Center, and Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide.

What supervision is required?
If the work will be relied upon to render legal advice, the provider must have an attorney supervising the project, because law students are not qualified or authorized to give legal advice. Students may perform research for the supervising attorney, who in turn may derive his or her own conclusions and give advice to the provider. If a provider does not have an attorney on staff, an outside attorney will suffice. The law school does not provide supervising attorneys. Projects that do not lead to the rendering of legal advice do not require a supervising attorney. If there is any doubt as to whether a project requires a supervising attorney, providers should consult with Jane Steckbeck, program director.

Are there limits on the scope of the project?
There are no limits on the number of hours the project will entail. Some projects take 10 hours, and some exceed 100 hours. It is helpful to have a realistic estimate of the time expected to complete the project. For projects exceeding 40 hours, the pro bono director may suggest dividing the project into components that can be assigned to more than one student.

How does a potential provider submit a project to UO law students?
The provider should submit a brief description of the project to Jane Steckbeck, program director, through email (jsteckbe@law.uoregon.edu) or fax ((541) 346-3584). The email or fax should also contain information about the provider (why it qualifies) and identify a supervising attorney, if the proposal will support the rendering of legal advice. Jane Steckbeck ((541) 346-3809)) is available to assist in formulating proposals or to answer any questions. The proposal will be forwarded to students by email. Typically, proposals receive enthusiastic responses the day they are posted. Jane Steckbeck will forward the names of qualified students to the provider's project coordinator its selection.

What involvement does the school have while the project is being completed?
Students engaged in pro bono work operate fairly autonomously. They are expected to keep accurate time sheets that are turned in at the end of the project. Students may seek out assistance from professors on areas of law they find complicated, but there is no formal law school supervision of student pro bono work. If a provider submits confidential information to a student, the provider should make quite clear the confidential nature of the information and define the boundaries of appropriate consultation with professors. Professors will not render legal advice, but are always available to clarify areas of law to students.

What benefits do students receive?
Perhaps the major benefit of pro bono work for law students is the gratification of accomplishing something to improve the world. Nearly all of our ENR law students choose UO law school to further their goals of serving the community and the environment. Students welcome pro bono opportunities to immerse themselves in actual needs and issues of their communities during their three years of law school. Students also gain a practical understanding of environmental law through working with groups engaged in cutting-edge issues. The degree of involvement by a supervising attorney is a factor that can greatly enhance the learning that naturally accompanies any pro bono service. Beyond these benefits, students may also acquire valuable contacts in their chosen field, which may open career opportunities later.

How can organizations enhance the students' experience?
Pro-bono service is greatly enriched by student contact with the provider. The following gestures offered by the provider, while certainly not expected, often make the pro bono opportunity an outstanding one for students and help to promote the pro bono program among the student body: educating the student about the purpose of the organization and the role of the pro bono service in the broad scheme of its mission. inviting the student to observe the result of the pro bono work (a hearing, a meeting with staff, etc.). bringing the student along to other activities of the organization (staff meeting, meeting with the client, field trip to view the site, meeting with agency officials). writing a letter of appreciation describing the quality and purpose of the work, and allowing the student to show the letter to prospective employers and/or serving as a reference for the law student. helping the student make contacts in the field.

Environmental Studies and Law Joint Degree

The joint degree program offers a concurrent juris doctor (J.D.) and masters in art or science (M.A. or M.S.) and allows students to condense the time frame for achieving both degrees, enjoying the advantage of a cross-disciplinary focus in the environmental field. Offered by the law school and environmental studies, this concurrent degree program results in two degrees in four years rather than the standard five. The Environmental Studies program at the University of Oregon draws upon the strengths of our campus community and our connections to the greater geographic area of the Pacific Northwest. Students have the opportunity to integrate coursework in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities, as well as the professional programs of management, public policy, design, and law. Participation in this program requires admittance to both the University of Oregon School of Law and the Environmental Studies Program. The application deadline for the M.A./M.S. program is January 15. Application information is available online here. Additional questions should be directed to Graduate Coordinator, Environmental Studies Program, 5223 University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403-5223; telephone (541) 346-5057.

Description of Joint Degree

Sample Course Plan

Learn more about the Environmental Studies Program at the University of Oregon at their website, http://envs.uoregon.edu/.

LL.M. in Environmental Law

The University of Oregon has approved the Law School's proposal to offer an LL.M. in Environmental and Natural Resources Law. The proposal is subject to final approval by the State Board of Higher Education. The Law School plans to admit the first class to begin August 2006. The LL.M. program requires two semesters of study and 24 credits. In addition to a specialized LL.M. seminar and writing requirement, students enroll in 7 other semester-long courses. Information on the new LL.M. can be found on the website www.law.uoregon.edu/org/llm/

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