Iowa Environmental Law Students Selected for ABA Executive Order Tracking Project

Environmental law students take their knowledge and skills to a national stage.

Thursday, February 20, 2025

Eight Iowa Law students have been selected by the American Bar Association’s (ABA) SEER Executive Order (EO) Tracking project for a prestigious opportunity—writing summaries of official EOs as they are issued during the start of the new presidential administration. These memos, published as part of the ABA’s Administrative Tracker, will provide essential guidance for legal practitioners navigating the regulatory changes introduced by the new administration.

eogroup1 — Pictured from left to right: Erin Frith, Kegan Peters, Abigail (Abby) Crabtree, Nina Marquardt, William Nagle, Kristjan (Kris) Nixon, Veronica (Roni) Miller. Not pictured: Renee Jacoby

Executive orders play a vital role in shaping national policy. They enable presidents to swiftly implement changes, bypassing the legislative process when urgent action is necessary. Kegan Peters, author of the EO summary Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential, shares her insight. “Although executive orders are often brief, they can be highly impactful. They can also be a bit difficult to understand because they reference preexisting and external guidance and rules without fully describing them. Although not everything within an EO is enforceable, they really set the tone for a new administration.”

Kris Nixon, author of the EO summary Putting People over Fish: Stopping Radical Environmentalism to Provide Water to Southern California, echoes Kegan’s thoughts, adding, “It's been very eye-opening to see how fast a new administration can move and how sweeping executive orders can be.”

Iowa Law’s environmental students earned this opportunity after connecting with ABA leadership at the Fall ABA SEER Conference in Seattle, Washington—an achievement that highlights their expertise, as no other law students nationwide were invited to participate. Thanks to the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative (HELI), Iowa Law students attend professional development conferences to build meaningful career networks. Established through the generosity of alumni Charlotte Beyer Hubbell (76JD) and Fred Hubbell (76JD), HELI represents the largest gift in Iowa Law’s history. Since its launch in 2022, Iowa Law’s environmental law program has continued to expand.

“With the support of HELI, students have opportunities to engage with environmental lawyers and policymakers outside the classroom through internships and professional conferences like the ABA SEER Conference. These opportunities deepen students’ interest in the environmental field and help them gain valuable experience. They also further one of HELI’s goals—to grow the environmental bar here in Iowa and beyond,” says Professor Shannon Roesler, Faculty Director of HELI.

Executive orders not only direct federal agencies but also provide insight into the priorities and strategies of a new administration. Nina Marquardt, a student editor on the project, comments on the importance of keeping people informed during uncertain times. “Summarizing these Executive Orders will allow more people to access and understand them. I'm very proud of my fellow Iowa Law students for stepping up and contributing to this project.”

The students’ successful completion of the SEER EO Tracking project is a testament to Iowa Law’s reputation as the writing law school, underscoring the exceptional legal writing and analysis skills that set Iowa Law apart. Iowa Law’s emphasis on concise, compelling legal communication helps prepare students for professional success.

Cara Meyer, a 1L student who contributed to the project, credits Iowa Law’s writing program for equipping students with the skills necessary to take on the challenge. “The legal community needs succinct, clear communicators capable of breaking down detailed policy directives to the essentials. The writing skills we develop at Iowa Law have value beyond writing briefs and memos.”

Interim Dean Todd Pettys highlights Iowa Law’s leadership in legal writing instruction as a key factor in students’ success. “Iowa Law is a national pioneer in emphasizing the importance of rigorous instruction in legal writing starting in students' very first semester on campus. We're exceptionally proud of the Iowa faculty who give our students this essential training, and we're equally proud of the students who—year after year—put that training to great use out in the larger world.”

Roni Miller, author of the EO summary Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements, reflects on how this experience has prepared her for her career. “This summer, I will be an environmental litigation intern for the Sierra Club, based in Oakland, California. Preparing for my internship through this experience tracking real-time changes in the environmental law space was critical. Now, I am plugged into how this current administration impacts environmental law meaningfully beyond just reading the news in my leisure time. Opportunities like these make Iowa Law and its support for students unique. As a law student, I never imagined that I could volunteer my time and talents to support the initiative of the American Bar Association.”

This remarkable achievement presented by the ABA highlights the exceptional talent and dedication of Iowa Law students while underscoring the unparalleled opportunities the college provides. “Being able to engage with the legal community in a new way by contributing, even briefly, to the conversation around administrative law has been extremely rewarding,” says Abby Crabtree, student editor on the project.

Below are the executive order summaries authored and edited by Iowa Law students.