Drake University
AC-4: Graduate Program

The Environmental and Sustainability Law Certificate offers specialization in the areas of environmental law and sustainability and the law. To obtain a certificate in Environmental and Sustainability Law, students must complete 20 credits of qualifying course work, including 9 credits of required courses, an upper-level writing course, and an experiential course in the subject. The following is the A.B.A. Standard 301 Statement Regarding Learning Outcomes for the Environmental and Sustainability Law Certificate - Knowledge and understanding of substantive law: -Understand the theoretical justifications for environmental law -Understand the theory and concept of sustainability, including its applicability to many disciplines and its many definitions -Explore the tools and questions necessary to identify, analyze, and apply the theory of sustainability to real world legal situations -Understand the fundamentals concerning the relevant laws and policies applicable at the international, national, and subnational levels -Delve deeply into the law’s role in pressing environmental and sustainability issues, such as climate change -Understand the complex relationship between environmental and sustainability law and other areas of law -Explore the dynamic relationship between law, behaviors, and environmental degradation Knowledge and understanding of procedural law: -Understand the administrative process involved with environmental law. -Understand available policy options, such as developing policy through litigation and command and control regulation -Understand basic standing requirements necessary to file an environmental action -Understand the basics of international law and treaties, including customary international law -Understand the effect subnational decisions can have on the environment and how those decisions are made -Understand the concept of sovereignty at many levels, including international, national, and subnational Legal analysis and reasoning: -Be able to analyze the impacts law can have on society -Be able to create fact-based arguments concerning how and why one environmental policy is more effective than another -Draw connections between the law and behaviors -Evaluate whether a given condition or law is sustainable. -Draft and present on new legislation to enhance the environment and sustainability Legal research: -Be familiar with the fundamental documents and cases concerning environmental law in the US and international treaties can cases -Be familiar with the international documents relevant to sustainability -Explore subnational policies concerning the environment and sustainability, including local planning actions and state climate plans -Be familiar with the interdisciplinary nature of sustainability and the availability of documents outside of traditional legal research -Be able to ask the questions necessary to identify and apply sustainability -Be able to draft local legislation and policy concerning sustainability Problem-solving: -Be able to assess whether a law is leading to sustainable or unsustainable conditions -Be able to draft a law that enhances sustainability -Make fact-based arguments concerning the application of environmental laws -Be able to make cogent arguments for or against environmental laws -Be able to foresee and plan for arguments hostile to policies that enhance sustainability -Be able to understand the basic science behind climate change Written communication in the legal context: -Be able to write a simple motion and a complaint in an environmental lawsuit -Be able to draft legislation enhancing sustainability -Be able to draft a client advice letter regarding the applicability of environmental regulations Oral communication in the legal context: -Be able to effectively communicate with key stakeholders -Be able to present local legislation before local policymakers in a public forum -Be able to meet and discuss with community leaders the importance of sustainability Exercise of proper professional and ethical responsibilities: -Understand and show commitment to representing the client zealously -Understand environmental justice and climate justice -Understand your ethical responsibility when your client is harming the environment in a dangerous manner