Careers in environmental law
Law careers website
All About Law is a law Careers website for all aspiring lawyers. It offers law careers advice from sixteen to the end of your training contract, pupillage or other law careers.
UKELA annual student careers evening
UKELA holds a student careers evening and social every autumn. In 2009 this was kindly hosted by Landmark Chambers. A variety of professionals are on hand for informal chats and careers advice - helping you make the most out of your CV. In 2009 there were private practice solicitors, barristers, the Environment Agency, DEFRA, the Metropolitan Police Wildlife Crime Unit, environmental consultants and NGOs - the Environmental Law Foundation and Friends of the Earth. More than 100 students booked places and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Another event is planned for 2010 - look out for the opportunity to book as places go quickly.
Students will find that attendance at UKELA events helps develop knowledge and networks and that the Association's bi-monthly UKELA journal, "E-law", provides valuable updates on current environmental law issues. There are also, for example, other organisations (legal and non-legal, governmental and non-governmental, UK and European as well as International), specialist academic centres, scientific institutions, policy centres and departments, and a variety of journals, magazines, books etc in this area of law and its connecting fields.
Information about the various organisations and institutions are available on the web or via the specialist journals/magazines. There are also a variety of courses available in environmental law as well as courses in the wider and related fields.
Not all environmental lawyers or consultants studied law, or specifically environmental law, at undergraduate level, so it is worth exploring the different degrees, courses and options available at this stage and afterwards. There are many careers within the environmental field, be it as an environmental lawyer (within the public or private practice), scientist, consultant, academic, policy adviser, planner, surveyor etc.
Students should consult practising members, or the relevant bodies, of each profession they are interested in joining in order to find out what course might be suitable to study and what they might need to do afterwards in terms of practical training and qualification. Students might like to explore with such members and their respective professional bodies the opportunity of gaining some insight of their area of practice via a week's work experience.