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Program Lex Omni (LLM in Environmental Law)

Degree Program

Law Latin Master in Environmental Law (LL.M. in Environmental Law)

Program Description

A specialized environmental law degree to obtain a specialization in environmental law by the California Board of Legal Specialization.

This Degree DOES NOT lead to the practice of Law in California and any other Jurisdictions. This is a specialized Degree in Environmental Law.

L.L.M in Environmental Law Degree Admission Requirement

For the L.L.M in Environmental Law a student must have a Juris Doctor Degree as a pre-requisite.

Prerequisites

To apply for admission, applicants must have a Juris Doctorate.

Completion Requirement

30 Units are required for the completion of the degree.

Instructional Methods

Courses will be taught primarily by lecture/discussion method with a final examination required at the end of course instruction.

Curriculum

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

EL101 History, Ethics, and Philosophy of Environmental Law:

(4 units)

The legal and administrative problems of control of the environment for the protection of public health, the enhancement of the quality of life, and the preservation of essential resources. A substantial part of the course is devoted to the major sources of environmental pollution and their control. Regulatory aspects of water and air pollution and of the disposal of hazardous waste; the inter-relationship of federal, state and local law;: (4 units) available methods for inter-governmental cooperation; and regulatory mechanisms in their control. Available legislative and policy approaches to controlling pollution including civil and criminal remedies and economic incentives and disincentives are examined in the context of economic realities. Other subjects considered include aspects of land use, conservation and environmental litigation. Significant emphasis is placed on the impact of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970 (NEPA) and on recurring issues of NEPA litigation.

EL102 Environmental Protection of Natural Resources:

(4 units)

This course will examine different regulatory methods used to remedy environmental problems, focusing on the protection of natural resources. Students will consider the forces which motivated legislation over the past 25 years, the economic concerns that shaped the resulting legislation, and how litigation, especially that brought by public interest groups, has influenced the direction of environmental programs. The course will focus primarily on domestic law governing the protection of wildlife, forests, wetlands and the global commons.

EL103 International Environmental Law:

(4 units)

This course will explore selected problems of international environmental law, including, stratospheric ozone depletion, global climate change, the preservation of biodiversity, the relationship between international trade rules and environmental protection, and international environmental conferences and institutions.

EL201 Environmental Litigation:

(4 units)

This course deals with some of the particular problems that arise, and some of the particular techniques that have developed, in the many different areas of litigation including problems of toxic and solid waste, resource recovery, energy siting and litigation and preservation and protection of natural areas. Among the specific problems treated are those of the relationship of litigation of environmental issues to the political process; the respective roles of courts and administrative agencies, trial of issues of standing and sovereign immunity; techniques of discovery into, and trial of, environmental issues, and trial, provisional and final remedies in environmental cases.

EL202 Air and Water Quality Environmental

Law: (4 units)

This course examines the causes and effects, measurement, controls of air and water quality specifically as well as their implications in connection with environmental protection generally. An understanding of the technical side of the subject requires no special training or background and can readily be acquired by law students.

EL203 Hazardous Waste, Noise Pollution and Land Use:

(4 units)

The theme of this course will be the interaction of law, science, politics and economics. Its primary objective will be to enable students to understand the complex dynamics of the problems their future clients will face so that the students will be better able to solve those problems. Students will be helped to define and understand the objectives of the various parties to hazardous waste (government regulators, property owners and waste generators), noise pollution (noise on people, noise measurement techniques, existing legislation, the selection of appropriate sanctions and the devices of enforcement, as well as the respective roles of federal, state, and local government and private litigation) and land use controversies, and to analyze how well the regulatory scheme meets or can be used to meet these objective.

EL301 Local Environ-mental Law:

(3 units)

This course examines the aspects of environmental law in the Southern California area with emphasis on growth and change in the area.

EL302 Conflicts of Environmental Law:

(3 units)

This course involves conflicting federal, state, and local law in an environmental problem. It will also examine such issues as preemption and sovereignty as well as public opinion.

Juris Doctor in Law

Master of Law in Taxation

Master of Law in Environmental Law

Master of Arts in Law

Continuing Education

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