On March 1st 2022, the Law School’s Evening Part Time (EPT) Program hosted its weekly evening programming session, inviting the Environmental Law Program (ELP) to speak about efforts to prepare students for the practice of environmental law in Hawai‘i and beyond.
ELP Director David Forman ‘93 began the meeting with an overview of the Environmental Law Program. In addition to sharing images of core ELP Faculty members, he also noted important contributions by ELP Research Associates including annual updates to the ELP Careers Directory—a useful tool for students seeking summer work opportunities in environmental law. He also highlighted the ELP colloquia series on climate change before concluding with advice on course planning and identifying upcoming course offerings pre-approved to fulfill environmental law certificate requirements.
Next, Diego Rivera ’23 and Joel Burgess ’23 shared a short biography of ELP co-founder Professor Casey M. Jarman (now Leigh), in whose name ELP Alumni and Friends created and funded a Jarman Fellowship to support students seeking summer public interest and/or public service opportunities. The Fellowship supported Rivera’s work with Sierra Club Maui, Maui Tomorrow, and Mālama Kakanilua. Burgess also worked in the non-profit world at WAI: Wastewater Alternatives & Solutions, in addition to a public service posting with the Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR), a subdivision of the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Expressing gratitude for the financial assistance during the summer, both fellows noted that this work has continued into their 2L year. They concluded by encouraging 1Ls and EPT students to apply for the Jarman Fellowship.
Colin Lee ’21 gave the final presentation of the evening on his experience working under the Peter J. Rappa Fellowship. Although the Rappa Fellowship is awarded through the University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant Program, multiple ELP students have been selected to work on a wide range of environmental issues in Hawai‘i. Lee’s work under the Rappa Fellowship concerned updating the Kailua Beach and Dune Management Plan. He specifically worked on an improvement plan for Kailua Beach Park and an analysis of the Hawai‘i Coastal Zone Management Act. Lee’s work under the Rappa Fellowship as well as Burgess and Rivera’s work under the Jarman Fellowship serve as examples of how ELP is serving its students and the environment of Hawai‘i!
-JB 4/10/22