It is hard to think of an environmental issue that is not also a legal issue. Deciding to develop or save a wetland, siting a toxic waste dump, or protecting a species - all of these require law and public regulation. Environmental lawyers help guide us when making these decisions or when creating laws and policies. As an environmental lawyer, you may:
- Draft environmental legislation.
- Work through the courts to save endangered habitat like old-growth forests or wetlands.
- Prosecute environmental offenders under provincial and federal laws including the Criminal Code.
- Provide legal advice to boards, as well as directors and the managers of corporations, on how to comply with environmental regulations.
- Assist in legal training, professional development and education related to environmental law.
Where you could work:
- Law firms and notary offices
- Prosecutors’ offices
- Federal, provincial and municipal departments and ministries concerned with the environment
- Large resource companies
- Environmental consulting firms
- Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
- Be self-employed
The BES program provides students with a strong foundation to go on to pursue a law degree. They will already possess a strong knowledge of many environmental issues, as well as sound analytical and critical thinking skills. Environmental lawyers need to be good communicators and require the ability to persuade others of their cause. Through class discussions, research papers and community action projects, BES students develop these skills. After finishing the BES degree, you may pursue the joint MES/JD degree given by the Faculty of Environmental Studies and Osgoode Hall Law School at York.