The Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative (HELI) supports students seeking legal careers in the environmental community. We provide stipends for unpaid environmental law work, support student travel to professional development and experiential learning opportunities, and are developing a growing professional network to connect students with organizations of all sizes and fields. Below are highlights from the 2025-2026 academic year.
American Bar Association: Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (ABA SEER)
This past fall, 1L Noel Omeji traveled to the American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (SEER) annual conference in Arlington, VA to immerse himself in one of the nation’s premier gatherings focused on environmental, energy, and natural resources law.
Over several days, attendees visited panels and workshops addressing timely topics such as climate change regulation, energy transition policy, environmental enforcement, and emerging issues in natural resource management. In addition to substantive programming, students had the opportunity to network with attorneys, judges, academics, government officials, and industry professionals from across the country, gaining valuable insight into career pathways and professional development in the environmental law field.
Public Interest Environmental Law Spring Conference (PIELC)
Iowa Law students also participated in the annual Public Interest Environmental Law Spring Conference, the largest and longest running public interest environmental law conference in the world. The conference brought together students, nonprofit advocates, community organizers, and public interest attorneys dedicated to advancing environmental justice and protecting public health and natural resources.
Environmental Law Society members Megan LeBlanc, Noel Omeji, Claire Benson, Ariel Wilcox attended this year's conference on March 12th-15th in Eugene, Oregon. They had the opportunity to visit panels on sea otter reintroduction, AI data centers, and intensifying energy demands while simultaneously enjoying the natural scenery of the Pacific Northwest.
Environmental Law Institute (ELI)
Iowa Law student Cara Meyer flew to Washington D.C. for the American Law Institutes Environmental Law Conference 2026 on February 19th and 20th. Student attendees had the chance to hear and participate in conversations with seasoned private practitioners, interest advocates, and law professors who discussed their perspectives on environmental justice as well as climate, chemical, energy, and natural resource law. This is an annual opportunity with limited scholarship space, and travel was covered by HELI!
Speaking of her experience, Cara said "I learned so much about environmental regulation and the different roles lawyers can play in the environmental sphere, from nonprofit to federal government to advising companies on compliance. I most enjoyed a panel about climate change litigation trends and how states have been able to continue to work towards cleaner energy!"
Moot Court Spring 2026 Team
This year's Spring Moot Court team consisted of the best of Iowa Law. Abby Crabtree, Nathan Spindler-Krage, Mateen Karimi made it all the way to the Jeffrey G. Miller National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition (NELMCC) at Pace University’s Elisabeth Haub School of Law in New York City. Although travel disruptions prevented full participation, the team’s selection reflects the strength of Iowa Law’s advocacy training and student commitment to environmental law.
Support For Professional Development
Student professional development opportunities are made possible through the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative (HELI) at the University of Iowa College of Law. Established through the generosity of alumni Charlotte Beyer Hubbell (’76 JD) and Fred Hubbell (’76 JD), HELI supports student stipends, conference travel, and experiential learning. Continued support ensures that Iowa Law students can access meaningful opportunities and contribute to the future of environmental law.