STUDENTS
WRLC gives a select group of second and third-year law students at Lewis & Clark Law School a unique opportunity to receive hands-on experience and educational opportunities that will make them highly sought after candidates at companies or law firms representing natural resources in the west.
With regular exposure to industry leaders through weekly seminars, top-tier externship placements, and exposure to advocacy opportunities, WRLC will give students the skills they need to practice natural resource law immediately upon graduating.
COURSE STRUCTURE
A maximum of six students selected for the practicum will participate in weekly seminars, simulated legal work based on actual events, and externship placements with leading natural resource attorneys and advocates.
The WRLC Natural Resources Practicum is a 4-credit, pass/fail course with no final examination. As an ABA accredited course, students are expected to meet regularly with placement supervisors who will assign and clarify tasks, provide direction, evaluate workload, assess status toward required hours, and review work as necessary.
Students are expected to spend 9-10 hours per week (115-130 total hours for the term) working at their practicum.
SEMINARS
Weekly WRLC seminars provide foundational information for students interested in practicing natural resource law. These seminars will cover background information on key natural resource industries, guest lectures from leading industry practitioners, and practical skills exercises.
Past seminar topics have included:
Agricultural Law & Water 101
Navigating State Law and Administrative Regulations
Timber Law 101
Natural Resource Property Rights & Land Use
Natural Resource Tax Law & Drafting Stipulated Facts and Motion Practice Exercise
Aquaculture & Fisheries Law 101
Federal Environmental Regulations & ESA Comment Letter Exercise
Transactions 101
Mining Law 101
Legislative Advocacy & Testifying Exercise
Energy Law 101
Seminar speakers have included in-house and law firm-based practicing natural resource lawyers, industry advocates, state program leaders, former state legislators, and federal natural resource leaders.
PLACEMENTS
Students will have the opportunity to work directly with practitioners through their practicum placement. These placements are similar to externships and students will be expected to meet the work product and professionalism expectations of the law firm or organization they are placed with.
Pending availability, WRLC will seek to match students with a placement supervisor who practices an area of natural resource law the student is most interested in. In addition, all students will have the opportunity throughout the semester to work directly with the Oregon Property Owners Association (OPOA) Legal Center or on cases that WRLC chooses to take on for the benefit of student education.
Questions & Apply
Please do not hesitate to contact us with questions about the course.
If you’re ready to apply, please click the button below.