In this article, find out how to become an environmental lawyer. Learn what courses you need to take and how to prepare for this challenging yet rewarding career
Much like Marshall Eriksen in the hit sitcom How I Met Your Mother, you may also have the dream of saving the world through environmental law.
It may be difficult when thinking about it at first, but it is surely not impossible. Part of preparing yourself for this dream is to learn the important steps on becoming an environmental lawyer in Canada.
Here’s an overview on how to become an environmental lawyer in Canada:
Let’s go over each of these steps.
One of mandatory requirements before you can enroll in Juris Doctor (JD) program is an undergraduate or bachelor’s degree.
Although there’s no specific degree required when taking the JD, studying a degree related to environmental law is an advantage if you’re keen on becoming an environmental lawyer.
Depending on the degree you’ve taken up, this will take up to 3 to 4 years. Most law schools would require 3 years of undergraduate study.
After obtaining an undergraduate or bachelor’s degree, your next step to becoming an environmental lawyer is to enroll in a Canadian law school. This may take up to 3 years of studies, plus an additional 1 to 2 years for the articling period and writing the bar exam.
In some law schools, they would require you to submit your Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score.
You should find out:
Also, when applying for law school, they may consider your Grade Point Average (GPA). As such, it’s worth considering doing well in your undergraduate degree to get a high GPA.
Last on your journey to become an environmental lawyer is articling and writing the bar exam. Articling means to work under the supervision of a lawyer. Its main objective is to teach practical skills needed when you’re already practicing law.
After the articling period, you must take the bar exam administered by your provincial Law Society.
There are two areas where you can get the best major when studying environmental law in Canada:
There are a lot of environmental undergraduate degrees that can prepare you when you’re going to study environmental law in the future.
Some examples of these degrees are:
Other degrees may also prove useful to the work of environmental lawyers, such as:
In general, you may want to consider any other science-based bachelor’s degree when planning to become an environmental lawyer.
To prepare you for the legal doctrines, principles, and terms that are specific to environmental law, you may focus on environment-related courses in law school. There can be opportunities to take them when you reach your upper year level, or after finishing some pre-requisite subjects.
Depending on your law school’s curriculum, the main course to take would be Environmental and Natural Resources Law. Other related courses would include:
There are also other legal practice areas related to the practice of environmental law, such as:
During your time in law school, there are other opportunities that will help you decide whether to become an environmental lawyer:
clubs and organizations: find law school clubs, organizations, and law clinics that are related to environmental law, addressing sustainability issues, and Indigenous peoples law
summer internships: check for local firms whose focus practice area is environmental law that offer internships to work with during your summer breaks
Generally, the work of environmental lawyers revolves around two aspects, depending on who their clients are:
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preventive and compliance work |
addressing environmental issues |
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helping businesses and corporations comply with Canadian environmental laws, which includes preparing plans to prevent or address environmental issues |
suing violators of Canadian environmental laws, to hold them civilly, criminally, or administratively liable for their acts |
After becoming an environmental lawyer, you may work for a wide range of clients from the public and private sectors, such as:
Depending on what area of environmental law you’re going to specialize in, the specific job of an environmental lawyer may include:
The career path of an environmental lawyer is like a tangle of roots — ever growing and far reaching. And it also comes with ups and downs, just like Marshall Eriksen’s career in How I Met Your Mother. Yet it’s a job that, though tiring, is surely a fulfilling one.
Looking for mentors who can show you how to become an environmental lawyer? Check out this list of the best environmental lawyers in Canada from Lexpert, one of our sister publications.
