Course gives undergrads insight into law and legal fields

As registration for spring semester approaches, some students might think they have their schedule mapped out. A little-known course in the political science department offers a different choice for students interested in environmental law.

The Environmental Law course was brought to Boston College's campus in 1991 by BC Law School professor Zygmunt Plater, and is designed to introduce students to the legal system and the analytical thinking behind its practice.

Each of the four sections is taught by a pair of law students handpicked by Plater. Covering everything from statutes to policy, the course first helps students develop a general law background, then apply the technical knowledge to specific cases in the field of environmental law.

Undergraduates of various majors who take this course are coming away with recommendations, a window into law, and in certain cases, job opportunities.

Plater's environmental law program is unique at BC because it is the only law-school-like class offered to undergraduates that is taught by current students of law. After the graduate students are selected, they are trained during the fall semester under Plater to become effective instructors. The students come from BC Law, Harvard Law School, and Boston University Law School. Right now, the eight teachers are preparing the curriculum for Spring '09 on their own.

Historically the result is a curriculum infused with guest speakers and mock trials. Currently, Environmental Law teacher Ari Sommer, BC Law '09, said of next semester, "I know that we plan to give a broad overview of the structure of government, how to read cases, how disputes become law, and how the legislature works, all before really delving into the various environmental protections."

Each class is organized in a different way, since the grad student pairs are given great flexibility. This flexibility is a result of Plater's belief in leaving the course's organization up to the teachers.

In regard to his being more involved in the instruction, Plater recalled his years of teaching only grad students. "They know better what undergrads will know and not know. So this way they can tailor-make a law course that will be best, since they instinctively know better than I do what the students need," he said.

The experience of taking a class led by law students was highly valued by past student Amber Slattery, A&S '10, because of the grad students' relevant insights into the exploration of law after college. "You can't get better perspective on the realities of law school than from a third-year law student just a few weeks away from graduation," Slattery said.

Slattery also noted that the accessibility of the grad students prevented her from being intimidated by new and dense information, because she always felt they were there to help. The relationship between undergraduates and grad students, which Plater stressed could never involve dating, could yield certain valuable advantages for students.

For example, Bradley Roberts, a section instructor last year and BC Law '08, was described in his student reviews as approachable.

At the end of the course, Roberts linked a student in his Environmental Law class to a job at the U.S. Justice Department, where he worked. Another past teacher, Mandy Eckhoff, BC Law '05, said that recommendations provided by the teachers of this course could be very helpful for students applying to law school.

This class also offers the ability to take law courses from BC as an undergraduate. Many students who have excelled in Environmental Law have been able to take certain classes such as International Environmental Law.

It is Plater's philosophy that the unique opportunity the environmental law class brings is not at all exclusive to the pre-law track. He strongly recommends the class to any type of major.

"Everyone with a liberal arts education ought to understand laws in civil society. Everyone will have to know how to work with and get around lawyers," he said.

Plater said that this course is especially beneficial to this end, since it is the nature of Environmental Law to cover many aspects of law.

Former teacher Jason Gagnon, BC Law '08, agreed, and said, "The course isn't just for those people considering a career in the law. It teaches that environmental law impacts us all, indeed we interact with it on a daily basis."

Another value of this course stems from growing opportunities in environmental law practice and relative industries.

Eckoff said that policy will have to be made in coming years to decrease new forms of pollution. Further, Sommer said, "My guess is that companies and corporations will need to hire more environmental lawyers into their in-house counsel's office to consider possible environmental liabilities of current and future operations."

In light of the recent election, Roberts said the need for a background in environmental law will increase because of President-elect Barack Obama's intention to focus on environmental issues on a national scale.

The value of this program to undergrads is matched by its value to the grad students who make it possible. Eckoff, Sommer, Gagnon, and Roberts agreed that engaging with students and having to teach law made them stronger lawyers. Their knowledge was reinforced through teaching, and they were able to pursue their passions for environmental law.

"For me, the semester I spent teaching environmental law was the most rewarding experience I spent at BC Law, and that is saying a great deal," Gagnon said.