Semester Clinical Program- Externship and Seminar

Midwest Environmental Advocates, Wisconsin’s first and only nonprofit environmental law firm, offers a unique experience for Wisconsin law students to get an in-depth look at all aspects of environmental law practice and nonprofit legal work. MEA’s clinical program includes two parts, the seminar and the externship.

MEA’s weekly seminars are intended to provide students with a varied and in-depth look at all aspects of the practice of environmental law. Topics have included legal issues in citizen suits, using the Clean Water Act, the inner workings of the Department of Natural Resources, environmental justice, working effectively with citizens’ groups and lobbying. Seminars are taught by a combination of MEA’s staff and outside experts, including some non-lawyers, who provide unique perspectives on environmental law. Guest speakers have included attorneys with Garvey McNeil & McGillivray, a former Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and a former Public Intervenor, among others.

MEA’s externship provides the opportunity for students to gain a practical knowledge of the workings of environmental law and hone their skills on real issues and cases. Working as law clerks in MEA’s green designed offices in Madison, students are involved at all levels of environmental litigation from researching new topics in environmental protection to helping prepare briefs in ongoing litigation. MEA also strives to provide students with the opportunity to see environmental law 'in action'. Past activities have included delivering public comments at legislative hearings, meeting with community members to build grassroots coalitions and documenting environmental violations ‘in the field.’

Taken in place of regular classes, students are awarded seven credits on a pass/fail basis for the semester. Based on the standard university requirement for internship hours, students work 315 hours in the semester, including the seminars. Weekly seminars are analogous to law school seminars and usually include readings.

MEA accepts applications and conducts interviews for both semesters of our Clinical Program in conjunction with UW Law School's Public Interest Job Fair.

For more information or questions about our program please contact Florence Edwards Miller.

MEA is pleased congradulate our 2006/2007 externs, Janet Boerboom, Alan Turnquist, Ben Sykes and April Shewmake, as recipients of Community Shares of Wisconsin's Backyard Hero Award. This award recognizes outstanding volunteers for their work with Community Shares's member agencies, including Midwest Environmental Advocates. Backyard Heroes are featured in Isthmus Magazine and on 105.5 in Madison.