Student Opportunities Through HELI

Through the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative, Iowa Law students gain hands-on experience, national exposure, and critical support to launch careers in environmental, energy, and natural resources law. HELI provides summer stipends, conference travel, field-based learning, and mentorship to help students engage directly with environmental law.

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HELI Summer Grant Program

HELI's summer grants are designed to ease the financial burden of University of Iowa law students working in unpaid summer positions. These grants awards support students in unpaid public interest or public service positions in environmental law. Applications open in January for the upcoming summer positions.

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Professional Development

HELI provides funding for students interested in environmental law to travel to professional development opportunities. We support students who have been invited to present their papers at conferences, as well as students interested in going to environmental conferences.  

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Field-Based Learning

The Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative hosts a recurring environmental law field course. The interdisciplinary intersession course, titled “Wildlife and Habitat Conservation Law,” introduces law students to the law of species and habitat protection, focusing on animals and plants located in the Macbride Nature Recreation Area.

Hubbell Summer Grants Program

Through HELI, Iowa Law continues to support students passionate about public interest and public service careers in environmental law by providing summer stipends that make these experiences possible. Over the 2024–2025 academic year, the HELI team built and strengthened partnerships with a broader range of environmental organizations whose work focuses on issues relevant to Iowa and neighboring states.

2025 Summer Grants Recap

15

students were awarded summer grants in 2025 alone

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86 %

of placements were at organizations in the midwest

8

different states students are working in

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Partner Organizations

For Summer 2025, students are gaining valuable experience with the following organizations:

  • Clean Wisconsin

  • Driftless Water Defenders

  • Ducks Unlimited

  • Environmental Investigation Agency

  • Illinois Environmental Council

  • Iowa Environmental Council

  • Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy

  • Missouri Coalition for the Environment

  • Missouri Department of Natural Resources

  • Polk County Air Quality Division

  • Sierra Club – Iowa Chapter

  • Sierra Club – National Organization

  • The Nature Conservancy – North America Agriculture Program

  • University of Iowa's Environmental Compliance

Summer Grant Student Profiles

HELI Summer Grant Student Profiles

Lucas Buckrop, Class of 2026 - Ducks Unlimited

Julia Hallauer, Class of 2027 - Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club

Cara Meyer, Class of 2027 - Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy

Anthony Mundt, Class of 2026 - The Nature Conservancy

All Summer Grant Profiles

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HELI expands experiential opportunities for future environmental leaders

Friday, May 16, 2025

Hubbell Graduation Award for Excellence in Environmental Law

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Iowa Law Awards 2025 Hubbell Award for Excellence in Environmental Law

Saturday, May 10, 2025

Other Ways to Engage in Environmental Opportunities at Iowa Law

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Environmental Law Society

Iowa ELS is a student-run organization that aims to increase awareness of environmental issues. HELI supports the Environmental Law Society at Iowa Law by supporting student ideas and advocating for issues that are raised during regular ELS meetings. Iowa Law’s ELS is a member of the ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources' (SEER) Environmental Law Society Network (ELSN).  The ELSN brings environmental law students from schools across the U.S. together to exchange ideas, succeed professionally, and positively impact their communities. The ELSN fulfills this mission by (1) providing resources for students to start or improve environmental law societies at their schools, (2) fostering a relationship between environmental legal professionals and students, and (3) hosting national events. 

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Moot Court

Iowa Law is an enthusiastic participant in Jeffrey G. Miller National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition (NELMCC) at Pace University Haub School of Law. The Pace Moot Court Competition is one of the nation’s largest interschool moot court competitions. With Iowa Law’s Clinical Professor Mary Ksobiech, Iowa Law has established a moot court participation and elimination process, with the plan to have an Iowa Law cohort represented in the competition that will take place this Fall, 2023 and into Spring 2024. This experience will provide another robust opportunity for students to deepen their experience in environmental, natural resources, and energy law during their time at Iowa Law.   

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Professional Opportunities - Internships and Externships

During their time at the Law School, our students take regular advantage of externships with state agencies, federal agencies, nonprofit and advocacy groups, and other nonprofit organizations. In the past three years, Iowa Law has supported students who have externed at numerous locations, including the Iowa Environmental Council, Iowa Attorney General – Environmental Division, Deere & Company Law Services Group, and the Office of the Tribal Attorney at Yurok Tribal Council. 

Students work part-time during the school year and full time on internships during the summers at companies, state and federal agencies, and law firms around the country and internationally on a range of natural resources, environmental, and energy law projects. 

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Clinical Work CELP

The University of Iowa College of Law’s Community Empowerment Law Project (CELP) clinic has provided opportunities for students interested in environmental law to engage in clinical practice during their time at Iowa. While the CELP clinic is relevant to anyone interested in pursuing public interest environmental advocacy, there are several specific projects of note that are directly connected to the mission of FNRELs projects with a direct connection.

Upcoming Events of Interest - See You There!

Law and Legacy: A Reception with the Next Generation of Lawyers  promotional image

Law and Legacy: A Reception with the Next Generation of Lawyers

Friday, September 26, 2025 4:30pm to 6:00pm
Courtyard Iowa City University Heights
This unique twist on a networking reception will convene Iowa Law students, alumni, and legal practitioners from the region to kick-off Homecoming Weekend in Iowa City. Join us for engaging sessions with students, as they share their aspirations and build valuable relationships with those already working across the legal spectrum.This event is free but registration is required: https://uiowa.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0oLyBbMQENHyMdgThis year’s event also marks a special milestone—the 25th...
The Private Sector and the Planet: Environmental Governance Across Industries promotional image

The Private Sector and the Planet: Environmental Governance Across Industries

Monday, September 29, 2025 12:45pm to 2:00pm
Boyd Law Building
The Private Sector and the Planet: Environmental Governance Across Industries is a year long speaker series exploring the critical role of private environmental governance in addressing 21st-century challenges. Hosted by the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative at the University of Iowa College of Law in collaboration with Vanderbilt Law School’s Private Climate Governance Lab and the Tippie College of Business’ Social Impact Community, the series features corporate leaders and change makers who...