The Frank G. Wells Environmental Law Clinic trains law students in environmental lawyering. Under the supervision of faculty who are experienced environmental lawyers, students work on behalf of environmental and community groups on litigation and regulatory matters. The Wells Clinic offers unique opportunities for students to obtain hands-on experience practicing environmental law. By working as co-counsel with organizations such as the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Santa Monica BayKeeper, the clinic works on the most important environmental issues facing Southern California.
 
Jesse Swanhuyser talks about his experiences with the Frank G. Wells Environmental Law Clinic
 
 
 
                  

The Co-directors of the Wells Environmental Law Clinic are Sean Hecht and Cara Horowitz.
For more information about the clinic, unit credit, enrollment and any prerequisites, click HERE.
For more information about UCLA School of Law's Environmental Law Center, including all the law school's environmental law and policy programs, click HERE.​

Recent Projects
​​Students in the Wells Environmental Law Clinic have recently taken part in the following important projects:
  • Drafting an appellate brief in collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council in an important Clean Air Act case.
  • Conducting research on the legal context for management of the Los Angeles River, in support of efforts to ensure that the River continues to be protected under the Clean Water Act and that public access to the River is improved.
  • Drafting briefs and administrative comments in two complex land-use matters involving the California Environmental Quality Act.
  • Working with both the California Air Resources Board and the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity on two separate projects relating to regulation of pollution from locomotives.
  • Conducting research in support of cutting-edge efforts to ensure that California's local air regulators are properly requiring regulated facilities to comply with the law.​


Student Experiences

The Environmental Law Clinic provided outstanding practical experience working for live clients. Working on real legal matters provides incomparable experience and an opportunity to apply doctrinal knowledge and develop legal skills with the guidance of experienced professors. One of my projects in the clinic was a matter under the Clean Air Act in which we investigated an innovative tool to advance cleaning the notoriously polluted air of Southern California. I worked for that client the next summer, and was able to continue working on the project I started that summer. There’s no question that the clinics at UCLA Law provide tremendous opportunity and experience.
                                                                                                                   Dustin Maghamfar , '09


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