Environmental and Natural Resources Law (LLM)

The Environmental and Natural Resources (ENR) Law track in the LLM program at the University of Oregon School of Law is designed for students who want to specialize in environmental and natural resources law and gain a deeper understanding of the legal framework that governs these areas in the United States. The program is intended to provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to address complex environmental issues and work effectively with clients in this field.

The program consists of a series of courses that cover various areas of environmental and natural resources law, including environmental law, natural resources law, energy law, and climate change law.

In addition to the required courses, students have the opportunity to take electives in a wide range of subjects, including water law, land use law, and wildlife law. Students can also choose to participate in the school's environmental and natural resources law clinics, which provide hands-on experience working on real cases under the supervision of experienced attorneys.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate the knowledge and ability necessary to practice substantive and procedural law and understand the dynamic processes through which law is created, developed, and changed by completing an organized program of courses in a selected specialization.
• Employ sound and articulate legal reasoning to identify, research, and analyze legal problems.
• Communicate effectively with clients, decision-makers, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Recognize the responsibility of lawyers to serve as informed and professional leaders.
• Appreciate the critical role that lawyers play in ensuring meaningful access to the legal system, promoting the just application of its laws, and serving their clients and the community.
• Learn how lawyers work together by demonstrating team lawyering skills, managing conflict, and forging relationships.
• Additional outcomes for students on the two-year pathway: \ • Students develop advanced proficiency in legal English, including reading, writing, and comprehension skills specific to the legal profession.\ • Students acquire a foundational understanding of the American legal system and its principles.\ • Students master legal research and writing, demonstrating the ability to conduct legal research and articulate legal arguments effectively.\ • Students gain comparative and international legal analysis skills, understanding the global context of law.\

Environmental and Natural Resources Law Requirements

One-Year Program (Two-Year Program Second Year)

Additional Requirements

• Master of laws students must complete a written comprehensive paper or project in connection with one of the required courses.

• Students must take at least five courses from the core Environmental and Natural Resources Law offerings indicated by the LLM Program Director.
• Students enrolled in the two-year program must successfully complete the following sequence of required courses:

Two-Year Program First Year

• Prior to the second year, students will be required to successfully demonstrate a level of English language proficiency at or above the standard minimum English proficiency requirements for graduate admission to the University of Oregon on the TOEFL, IELTS, an assessment by AEI, or other method accepted by the University of Oregon. Students in the two-year pathway who do not meet the University’s general graduate-level English language requirement within two years of matriculation are not eligible to continue in the LLM program.