There is no doubt that this year has presented us with a huge challenge of keeping our student community intact and connected, even when we can’t all be together in person. The Maryland Environmental Law Society (MELS) has done a fantastic job of hosting many virtual events this semester, from monthly happy hours where students and alumni connected over career paths and shared advice on how to get the jobs you want, to a career panel featuring our very own Maryland Carey Law faculty.
On January 27, students had the opportunity to hear from faculty about their experiences in the field and to ask curriculum specific questions about the environmental law program at Maryland Carey Law. Speakers represented a wide variety of practice backgrounds, ranging from private practice, non-profit, and federal or state government.
On February 11, MELS hosted a book discussion with Professor Randal Abate. Professor Abate led a talk on the second edition of his book, What Can Animal Law Learn From Environmental Law?, as well as his forthcoming article in the Columbia Journal of Environmental Law on litigation against the fossil fuel and industrial agricultural industries.
Most recently, MELS hosted a meet and greet with the Department of Energy (DOE) Deputy Assistant General on February 17. DOE’s Steven Miller participated in a virtual meet and greet with MELS students to talk about working as an environmental lawyer for the DOE/ federal government, his career path, and the DOE summer internship program. We are grateful to our MELS board and our alumni for volunteering to make these events possible. They are all what makes the Environmental Law Program a fantastic place to be.