The Maryland Environmental Law Society is the longest standing environmental law student organization in the country. MELS is dedicated to preserving the integrity of our planet through community service, awareness, and legal education, and of course, love. We focus on eco-centered community service, career development, diversity, and networking in the community.
Throughout each semester, we engage in many group activities seeking to promote our message. These include assignment Appalachia, the MELS stream clean, Professor Percival's wine tasting event, and general body meetings.
MELS students also engage in practical experiences in a broad range of summer internships involving environmental law in both the public and private sectors. Additionally, our students have roles in the Environmental Law Clinic where students take the primary lead in an environmental advocacy role with real clients with real environmental problems. Finally, MELS members take classes in a wide range of typical environmental law seminars on the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, Federal Land Management, and more as well as non-typical environmental law classes like administrative law, property law, and torts all taught by experienced and effective Maryland professors.
If you have any questions, please email us at mels@law.umaryland.edu or drop by one of our meetings.
2022-2023 Executive Board
2023-2024 Executive Board
Co-President: Kerry McClaughry
Co-President: Laney Ballard
Treasurer: Maeve Kessler
Secretary: Bradford Wicker
Co-Event Chairs: Jo Vonderhorst and Samuel McCormack
Technology Chair: Samantha Fairbanks
Community Outreach Chair: Hannah Klaus
Advisor: Bill Piermattei