LL.M. in Environmental and Energy Law

Coursework

With over 60 courses in U.S. and international environmental and energy law and closely related disciplines to choose from, students can create their own specialized plan of study suited to their passions and career goals.  Curricular offerings range from survey courses in environmental law and energy law to specialized seminars in environmental justice, water law, wildlife law, food and drug law, energy trading, and the intersection of business, sustainability and human rights.

During the first semester, students enroll in a specialized Environmental Lawyering Seminar. This seminar is designed to facilitate high-level idea exchange, cohort-building among classmates, and the opportunity to engage with our world-renowned faculty in a small setting.

Students also take Environmental Law as part of required coursework, a basic introductory course for all environmental law, focusing primarily on the major federal environmental statutes relating to air and water pollution, hazardous waste handling and disposal, and environmental impact analysis. Enrollment in this course may be waived if a comparable course in U.S. environmental law was taken as part of a prior law degree.

To meet the specialization credit requirement, students may choose from a long list of core, advanced and related courses. Refer to the Georgetown Law Curriculum Guide and select Environmental and Energy Law LL.M. under Courses in a Graduate Program for a complete list. Read more about the various courses including recommendations for different areas of interest in the Environmental and Energy Law Curriculum Essay.

Foreign-trained students who wish to fulfill course requirements for New York Bar eligibility have the ability to do so while pursuing their LL.M. program. However, this requires careful planning and course selection. Students should speak with the LL.M. Program Director for further guidance.

While not required, it is strongly recommended that foreign-trained students enroll in U.S. Legal Research, Writing, and Analysis.

Faculty

Georgetown environmental law faculty are leaders in the field.  Our professors produce a tremendous volume and diversity of scholarship, draft high impact policy pieces and amicus briefs, and give speeches, presentations, lectures and media interviews on important environmental law topics.

Over 20 adjuncts include practitioners working at the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, U.S. Coast Guard, World Bank and International Union for Conservation of Nature, among others, as well as top non-governmental organizations and private firms. As nationally prominent scholars and practitioners, our environmental faculty provide critical legal knowledge and real-world experience to prepare our students for success.

Visit the Georgetown Law Faculty Directory to view our Environmental Law and Policy Program full-time professors.

Alternatively, to view the professor profile of a particular course, select a course from the Curriculum Guide and scroll to the Professors section of the course information page.

Campus Life

Students in the LL.M. in Environmental and Energy Law program are a tight-knit cohort of students from around the world who form a bond that lasts their entire career.

The Environmental Law and Policy Program hosts events, receptions, panels and guest speakers on cutting edge environmental issues that all students are welcome to attend.

Our students engage with our well-established environmental law community. We have a top environmental law journal, as well as four student groups: the Environmental Law Society, Energy Law Group, and Law Students for Climate Accountability. To learn more about how to get more involved in Georgetown Law student life, visit the Activities & Organizations page.

Students can get involved with the Georgetown Climate Center, a leading resource on climate change and energy at federal and state levels.

Experiential Learning

As part of the LL.M. in Environmental and Energy Law program, students are required to complete an externship or practicum course to hone practical legal skills.

In Washington, DC, opportunities for externships abound, from private firms and energy companies to government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and international organizations.  Structured practicums in natural resources law and international environmental law give students the opportunity to undertake real-world projects under the supervision of a professor. Or, students can work on cutting edge climate and energy policy issues with the Georgetown Climate Center.

For more information regarding externships and practicums, please visit the LL.M. Externships and Practicums pages.

Additionally, Georgetown Law students have numerous opportunities to engage in pro bono and community service during their studies and after graduation to provide assistance to those in need.

Career Resources

The Office of Graduate Careers is among the few law school career centers in the United States catered to LL.M. students, both during school and after graduation, to help students be proactive, organized and diligent in their employment search. Our deeply knowledgeable career advisors as well as our extensive network of alumni and adjunct faculty open doors to a plethora of opportunities.

Graduates of the LL.M. in Environmental and Energy Law program have gone on to successful careers in private law firms in the United States and around the world, as well as the U.S. government (e.g. Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of State, Department of the Interior, Judge Advocate General), other governments around the world, non-government organizations (e.g. Environmental Law Institute, World Resources Institute, Natural Resources Defense Council), international organizations (e.g. World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank) and energy companies (e.g. General Electric, CREIAS Corp).

To find more information and resources on professional development, career advancement, recruitment programs, and job search opportunities, visit the Office of Graduate Careers and Environmental Law practice area section of the Career Exploration & Professional Development page.

Related Programs

Georgetown J.D. candidates can obtain the LL.M. degree by completing 12 additional credit hours, through a joint J.D./LL.M. in Environmental and Energy Law.

LL.M. in Environmental and Energy Law candidates are eligible to pair their degree studies with a Certificate of Specialization. While it is possible to pursue a Certificate of Specialization in conjunction with the LL.M. in Environmental and Energy Law, it requires careful planning and course selection. If interested in pursuing this combination, students should speak with the LL.M. Program Director for academic advising.

Foreign-trained students have the opportunity to get a head start to their studies at Georgetown Law and experience in Washington, DC by attending the LL.M. Summer Experience. The LL.M. Summer Experience is a 6 week pre-program that allows students to earn up to 4 additional credit hours before the start of their degree studies that can be used towards LL.M. program requirements and New York Bar eligibility. All courses in Session I and Session II are approved by the New York Bar and allow more flexibility in course selection during the fall and spring semesters.

Scholarships, Fellowships and Financial Aid

Current students in the Environmental Law and Policy Program may apply for a travel grant to fund travel to present their work related to the environment at conferences and events.  An official invitation to speak or present at the event is required.

Georgetown Law awards a small number of partial merit based scholarships for LL.M. degree applicants. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of their LL.M. degree application on a rolling basis.

Public sector lawyers from developing countries can apply for the UNEP-Georgetown Global Environment & Sustainability Law Fellowship, which covers the full cost of tuition, health insurance, textbooks and travel for the LL.M. in Environmental and Energy Law, and includes a posting at the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) headquarters or a regional office.

The John H. Jackson Moot Scholarship, in honor of former Georgetown Law professor John H. Jackson for his contributions to international trade law, is a half tuition scholarship awarded to up to two candidates applying to any full-time in-person specialized LL.M. degree program who were previously a student or coach of a university team participating in the John H. Jackson Moot Court Competition (previously known as the ELSA WTO Moot Court Competition) and advanced to the final rounds in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Leadership and Advocacy for Women in Africa (LAWA) Fellowship Program is an intensive and rigorous fellowship offered to women’s human rights lawyers from Africa applying to a Georgetown LL.M. degree program and are committed to returning home to their countries in order to advance the status of women and girls in their own countries throughout their careers. The fellowship covers the full cost of tuition, health insurance, textbooks. Visit the Women’s Law & Public Policy Program website for further program information and application details.

Applicants who are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents may apply for financial aid in the form of loans. For more information please visit the Georgetown Law Financial Aid website.