Professional Development Opportunities
There are various opportunities available to Iowa Law students interested in environmental, energy, and natural resources law careers.
HELI supports students seeking legal careers in the environmental community. We provide stipends for unpaid environmental law work, support student travel to professional development opportunities, and are developing a growing professional network to connect students with organizations of all sizes and fields.
More about these opportunities are below.
Supporting Student Travel
Supporting Student Travel
The Hubbell Initiative 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.
There are 2 pre-approved conferences HELI supports for students:
The ABA SEER Section Conference
Public Interest Environmental Law Spring Conference.
All other conferences, workshops, or events must be approved by the Faculty Director before funding will be considered.
Iowa Law is a Constituent Law School of the Foundation for Natural Resources and Environmental Law (Foundation). The Foundation supports students in various ways. See below for more information.
ABA SEER Section Conference
Held in various locations, updated and posted on the ABA SEER page.
Public Interest Environmental Law Spring Conference
Held in Eugene, Oregon every Spring.
What do students think about the travel opportunities?
"This conference was a wonderful experience because I had the chance to listen to so many interesting panels. There was so much knowledge in one place, and it made me very excited about pursuing a career in environmental law. Everyone was so friendly, and I was able to meet so many attorneys who were excited to meet law students who were interested in environmental law."
"This conference helped me to realize how the different pathways one can take in environmental law fit together and relate to each other. The panels were insightful and interesting, but my favorite part of the conference was talking with practicing environmental lawyers and hearing what they do. Many were generous in taking the time to inform me about professional options, and I am grateful to have made new professional connections and friends. The conference also taught me how to learn in the classroom in ways that will help me in practice. I learned which areas of environmental law are in
Opportunities for students through the Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law
The Iowa Law School is proud to announce that it has been admitted as a Constituent Law School of the Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law (FNREL). The foundation is the largest independent nonprofit organization in the nation dedicated to education in natural resources and energy law. As part of this designation, several opportunities are available to Iowa Law students. Those are featured here.
Student Travel
Iowa Law is a Constituent Law School of the Foundation for Natural Resources and Environmental Law (Foundation). The Foundation supports the participation of deserving students in Foundation institutes and select short courses. At present, the Foundation can make available up to $4000 per calendar year for each of the Foundation’s CLS. The list of Foundation programming can be found at: https://www.fnrel.org/programs.
Scholarships
The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law is dedicated to supporting law students through a variety of impactful scholarship programs at its Constituent Law Schools. For most scholarships, a law student who is enrolled full-time at one of the Foundation’s Constituent Law Schools and who can demonstrate a commitment to the study of natural resources or energy law is eligible to apply.
Networking
The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law provides grants to natural resources, environmental law societies, and groups of students. These grants are available to fund networking events with natural resources, energy, and environmental lawyers in the community.
Generally, there are $1000 per year per school available.
Free Membership
Students can become a member of The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law for free! The Foundation has a growing network of individuals, law firms, companies, government agencies, and organizations dedicated to supporting legal scholarship in the natural resources and energy law community.
Environmental Law Jobs and Internships
HELI updates job opportunities in 12Twenty each week. To search for these opportunities, in 12Twenty go to Job Listings and search for 'environmental' in the search bar!
Partner Organizations
HELI is actively connecting and growing the network of partner organizations to support the avenues students wish to pursue professionally. Below is a list of organizations students might be interested in pursuing. This list is not exhaustive and students are encouraged to find other places.
HELI supports experiential learning for Iowa Law students
Hubbell Initiative expands environmental law in Iowa
