Skills — 2 units. Students in environmental negotiations will develop or deepen their negotiation preparation skills through identifying the most relevant facts in controversy, and based on the facts, what legal theories are likely to apply, what remedies are available and likely to be sought, and potential defenses. They will practice negotiation skills including focusing on the problem, identifying the parties’ goals and interests, developing creative options for conflict resolution, and identifying objective standards to anchor their offers and counteroffers.
Clinic – 3 to 5 units. Groundwater is an essential resource for California’s billion-dollar farm economy. Historically, groundwater has been largely unmanaged in many parts of the state, which has led to declining groundwater levels, land subsidence, and reduced groundwater quality. In 2014, the Legislature passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) to regulate groundwater use in California statewide for the first time through local groundwater agencies under state supervision.
Lecture — 2 or 3 units. Society’s expectations of companies are changing and companies are responding. Many companies go beyond compliance with the law to address environmental and social issues, from climate change to diversity. This new articulation of corporate purpose raises complex legal, ethical, and business questions. This class uses the case study method to examine this paradigm shift in the business and investment community. Each week we will analyze a particular company or business trend.
Seminar — 2 units. This course will cover the law of biodiversity, with a focus on the laws of the United States. We will review the science of biodiversity and biodiversity loss, and then examine laws addressing biodiversity at the federal, state, and local levels. We will cover biodiversity law, ecosystem management, and emerging challenges like climate change and renewable energy development. The course will be graded based on short response papers and participation in class discussions.
Lecture — 3 units. Course examines how the U.S. Constitution and the federal Administrative Procedure Act constrain and regulate decision making by government agencies and officials. Topics include administrative due process, separation of powers, delegation of authority to agencies, procedural requirements for agency adjudication and rulemaking, and the extent and limits of judicial review. This course is highly recommended for anyone intending to practice in any public law area or at the intersection of public/private law.
Discussion — 2 units. This course explores the history, law, and public policy of energy regulation in the United States, emphasizing economic and environmental regulation. Competitive restructuring of the natural gas and electric utility industries is emphasized. The basic regulatory schemes for other energy sources—hydroelectric power, coal, oil, and nuclear power—are explored depending on class interest. This seminar is recommended to anyone interested in the energy sector, various models of economic regulation, or regulated industries.
Discussion — 4 units. An introduction to environmental law, focusing primarily on federal law. Includes coverage of the historical development of environmental law, including the transition from common law to statutory law; the role of courts, the legislature, and the executive branch in the development and implementation of environmental policy; allocation of authority among different levels of government; the role of market forces in environmental decisions; and the major regulatory strategies that have been applied to control environmental harm.
King Hall’s Environmental Externship allows students to earn academic credit in the fall and spring semesters in a variety of environmental law settings. Past placements have included state and federal agencies, and nonprofits, including Earthjustice and the Sierra Club.
Discussion — 3 units. This course provides an overview of the structure and basic principles of international environmental law and policy. The course considers the challenge of addressing global environmental problems in a system characterized by multiple sovereign governments, the regulatory limitations of U.S. law, and the basic structure and principles of international environmental law, as well as substantive areas such as climate change, biodiversity and wildlife protection, and the intersection of international trade and the environment.
Discussion — 2 units. This course addresses administrative, legislative, and judicial applications of California’s wide range of land use planning and development laws. It also covers the local agencies, developers, environmental groups, businesses, and countless others who shape decisions about land use in California. Topics include zoning, general plans, local government land use regulation, tribal interests, the California Environmental Quality Act, and related areas of litigation.
