UNEP - Georgetown Law Center Global Environment & Sustainability Law Fellowship
The Global Environment and Sustainability Law Fellowship is an opportunity for public sector lawyers from developing countries to earn a Georgetown LL.M. and to gain international legal experience with a posting at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, or at one of its regional offices around the world.
Georgetown Environmental and Energy Law LL.M.
Join environment and energy lawyers from across the globe to study in the prestigious Georgetown LL.M. program in Environmental and Energy Law. Georgetown Law offers over 60 courses in environmental and energy law and closely related disciplines ranging from core courses in environmental law, energy law and natural resources 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, taught by world-class faculty and practitioners.
Located in the heart of Washington, DC, Georgetown Law offers unmatched opportunities for practicum projects and externships with private firms and energy companies, government agencies, international organizations and non-governmental organizations, as well as the opportunity to work on cutting edge climate and energy policy issues within the Georgetown Climate Center.
United Nations Environment Programme Internship
Gain valuable international environmental law and policy experience with the United Nations through a 3-month internship at UNEP headquarters in Nairobi or one of UNEP’s regional offices around the world.
Past Fellows
Launched in 2016, the UNEP – Georgetown Law Global Environment and Sustainability Law Fellows program has supported Fellows from Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Chile, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Peru, Uganda, Uruguay, and Zimbabwe. Equipped with the knowledge and experiential training gained at Georgetown Law and UNEP, Fellows have gone on to positions in government ministries, environmental agencies and international organizations, as well as positions of traditional authority.
“My experience at Georgetown under the UNEP program was an opportunity of a lifetime which I found fulfilling and challenging. It was a time of learning from the best legal minds and a platform for networking and exchange.” – Rudo Chasi, Zimbabwe, Class of 2024
“The UNEP-Georgetown Fellowship was a game changer for my professional and academic career. The professors at Georgetown University Law Center are exceptionally knowledgeable and experienced in their fields. You get the opportunity to roll up your sleeves and join the ranks of one of the most prestigious organizations in the world: The United Nations.” – Sebastián Luengo Troncoso, Chile, Class of 2022
Fellowship Benefits
The Program helps defray the costs for candidates who would not otherwise be able to cover all of the necessary costs of an LL.M. degree and professional experience including:
- Tuition costs for the LL.M. at Georgetown Law, including the Summer Experience Program;
- All required textbooks;
- A monthly stipend to cover living expenses during the internship with UNEP;
- Health insurance for the duration of the LL.M. and internship;
- Flights to and from Washington, DC, before and after the LL.M.; and
- Flights to and from UNEP posting, before and after the internship.
Please note that the Fellowship does not cover living expenses in Washington, DC. Fellows must be prepared to cover the costs of housing, food and other personal expenses for the duration of the LL.M. program.
Eligibility
To be eligible for this fellowship, a candidate must:
- Reside in a developing country;
- Possess the requisite degree to practice law in his or her home country;
- Be currently employed by a national or local government entity; and,
- Be engaged in practicing environmental law, energy law, natural resources law or a related legal field.
Fellows must commit to return to their home country to continue working in public sector environmental law for no less than three years.
Application Process
National Focal Points (NFP) to the Montevideo Environmental Law Programme are invited to nominate candidates by email. Nominations should be accompanied by a curriculum vitae of the nominee, of no more than two pages. Each NFP may nominate up to two candidates. Nominees will be reviewed and shortlisted, and short-listed candidates will be provided with a waiver of application fees.
Any other interested candidates can also apply directly to Georgetown and indicate their interest in the Fellowship on their LL.M. application. Candidates who apply directly are not eligible for application fee waivers. Visit the Georgetown Law Graduate Admissions page for application forms and other information on requirements, deadlines and processes.
All candidates must submit a supplemental essay of 500 words or less on an issue of environmental law or policy of particular interest, with their application.
Dates and Deadlines
15 November 2024 – National Focal Points submit nominations to unep-montevideo@un.org, including curriculum vitae of no more than two pages for each nominee.
5 January 2025 – Shortlist is finalized and shortlisted candidates provided with fee waivers for application to Georgetown Law.
5 February 2025 – Deadline for all candidates to apply to Georgetown Law to be considered for the Fellowship
Contact Us
For questions or assistance, please contact UNEP-Montevideo at unep-montevideo@un.org or Lydia Slobodian at Georgetown Law at lns27@georgetown.edu.