About GreenLaw

Who We Are:
GreenLaw is the Environmental Law Society at the University of Washington School of Law. Greenlaw was incorporated in 2000 with the mission of providing environmental litigation experience to law students at the University of Washington. Since then, GreenLaw has become an active part of the law school community with a committed base of students and an enthusiastic board of directors.

Our Mission:
GreenLaw fuses the passion and skills of University of Washington law students with the professional expertise and leadership of attorneys and advocates at the forefront of environmental activism.

What We Do:
GreenLaw's programs fall into four core areas: education, outreach, advocacy, and recreation.

Education - GreenLaw brings in speakers on local and national environmental issues every quarter. We also sponsor workshops on key skills for practicing environmental law. For example, practitioners have provided guidance on using the Freedom of Information Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act, researching legislative history, grant writing, and scrutinizing pollution discharge permits under the Clean Water Act. GreenLaw also organizes a Spring lecture series.

Outreach - GreenLaw is the link between UW law students and local environmental lawyers. We facilitate links between students and practitioners by setting up career panels and networking events. We also provide members access to our career database that includes local environmental organizations and firms as well as Alumni and student contact information.

Advocacy - GreenLaw wants to involve students in the practice of environmental law right from the start. GreenLaw members are enthusiastic and motivated, and our philosophy is that there is no reason to wait until law school is over to protect our environment. Due to a generous contribution from Steve and Kathy Berman, the UW Law School started an environmental law clinic starting in 2003, and GreenLaw continues to have an active role in that project. Over the summer, GreenLaw officers will formulate plans for a new advocacy project for GreenLaw that will be presented at the first meeting at during the school year. The project will provide busy students with an opportunity to efficiently pool their energy to defend our environment.

Recreation - GreenLaw members have a good time! Together with local attorneys and friends, we make it a point to get out into the incredible natural environment of Washington State in order to remember why the work we do is so important. Also, we just like to hike, snowshoe, bike, and generally have fun outside.