Advanced Environmental Law and Community Engagement Clinic

LAW8668
Section 1, Spring 26

Schedule Information

Enrollment: /4
Credits: 3
Days Time Room Start Date End Date

Tue

 		1130-1250 See Details 01/20/2026 04/21/2026

Course Description

The Environmental Law and Community Engagement Clinic fits within the Law School’s Program in Law, Communities, and the Environment (PLACE). Students in this semester-long clinic have the opportunity to work on real-world environmental cases in a variety of venues — before courts, administrative agencies and public utility commissions. The clinic has represented a diverse array of public-interest clients in recent years, from a community group working to preserve an early 20th century African-American schoolhouse to local governments filing an amicus brief in the Supreme Court of the United States. In addition to working on in-house clinic cases, students are also afforded the option of working closely with attorneys at the Southern Environmental Law Center, a nationally prominent environmental law and policy organization that is headquartered in Charlottesville. Students interested in a yearlong clinic experience may enroll in the Advanced Environmental Law and Community Engagement Clinic.

Course Requirements

Exam Information

Final Type (if any): None

Description: None

Other Work

Students will be expected to take on a greater role in working directly with clients and partner groups. In addition to working on in-house clinic cases, students also have the opportunity to work closely with attorneys at the Southern Environmental Law Center, a nationally prominent environmental law and policy organization that is headquartered in Charlottesville.

Other Course Details

Prerequisites: (Environmental and Regulatory Law Clinic (8640)) Because the credits in this course count toward the JD Program Professional Skills requirement, JD candidates will be given enrollment priority for this class. Concurrencies: Environmental Law (LAW 6112) and/or Administrative Law (LAW 6102) recommended as pre- or co-requisites, but neither is required.

Exclusive With: None

Laptops Allowed: Yes

First Day Attendance Required: Yes

Course Resources: No additional course materials beyond what will be provided for students’ individual cases and projects.

Course Notes: NOTE REGARDING ENROLLMENT: Students self-enroll in this clinic via the Add/Drop process. If a student seeking a seat in this class is enrolled in another clinic, enrollment authorization from the instructors from both clinics must be provided to the Student Records Office via email ([email protected]). MATTER ASSIGNMENT POLICY: The first factor that Professor Jaffe considers prior to accepting new cases into the clinic is the pedagogical value that projects would provide. With that in mind, all students enrolled in the clinic are encouraged to share their candid preferences for case assignment at the start of each semester. Enrolled students are also asked to rank current cases in the clinic in order of preference. If there are any remaining questions about how matters are assigned, Professor Jaffe's door is always open.

Graduation Requirements

Satisfies Understanding Bias/Racism/Cross-Cultural Competency requirement: Yes

Satisfies Writing Requirement: No

Credits For Prof. Skills Requirement: Yes

Satisfies Professional Ethics: No

Additional Course Information

Schedule No.: 126217882

Modified Type: Clinical

Cross Listed: No

Waitlist Count: 0

Concentrations: Environmental, Energy and Land Use Law , Litigation and Dispute Resolution , Public Service and Leadership

Evaluation Portal Via LawWeb Opens: Tuesday, April 14, 12:01 AM

Evaluation Portal Via LawWeb Closes: Sunday, April 26, 11:59 PM

Information reflected on this page was last refreshed at: Tuesday, July 08, 2025 - 7:02 AM *

*During open enrollment periods, live enrollment data may be found in SIS.