Course | Columbia Law School

The Environmental Law Moot Court, which is sponsored by the Environmental Law Society, provides students with an opportunity to write appellate briefs and conduct oral arguments based on the environmental legal problem from the Pace Law School Environmental Law Moot Court Competition. The legal issues are drawn from real cases and are argued by three adverse teams, reflecting the multiparty nature of environmental litigation that often involves the government, a public interest group, and a member of the regulated industry. The Environmental Law Moot Court may serve as a substitute for L6679 Foundation Year Moot Court for first-year students, with prior approval of the faculty Moot Court Director.

Each participant will write briefs with one or two other students. Students must complete briefs by December. In January and February, each team will participate in at least two rounds of oral arguments. Practitioners specializing in environmental law will adjudicate at least one oral argument session. The Environmental Law Society (ELS) will provide student editors for each team to assist participants with briefs and oral arguments. In the spring semester first-year students are required to rewrite their briefs under the close supervision of their assigned Moot Court student editors.