Postgraduate Course: Environmental Law Clinic (LAWS11344)
Course Outline
| School | School of Law |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The Environmental Law Clinic will give students the opportunity to function as law reformers as well as legal consultants. Students will extend their knowledge and acquire practical skills whilst supporting the critical work of key environmental actors worldwide in need of free legal advice. |
| Course description |
Week 1: Introduction to the clinic (method, content, assessment), presentation of the clinic project, and lecture on applicable law.
Week 2: Lecture on applicable law, group discussion.
Week 3: Brainstorming/group discussion with a view towards identifying the relevant legal issues. Elaboration of the research program.
Week 4: Report on individual research, group discussion with a view towards framing the relevant legal issues.
Week 5: Report on group findings, Team allocation of writing tasks.
Reading week
Week 6: Group presentation- main arguments, team discussion and feedback.
Week 7: Group presentation- detailed arguments, team discussion and feedback.
Week 8: Presentation of structure with key arguments and team feedback.
Week 9: Peer review of final draft ¿ group discussion and team feedback.
Week 10: Collective review of final draft- group discussion and team feedback.
The Environmental Law Clinic gives students the opportunity to function as law reformers as well as legal consultants. Students involved will extend their knowledge and acquire practical skills while supporting the critical work of key environmental actors worldwide in need of free legal advice (NGOs, public authorities, international organizations, and other public interest entities).
Under the supervision of the Clinic Director, the students selected to participate will collectively create innovative solutions to cutting-edge issues of EU and International Environmental Law faced by clients on a daily basis. For example, the students may be asked to work on Nature Conservation Law, Water Law, Waste Law, access to justice, public participation, access to information in environmental matters, etc.
Depending on the client¿s needs, students may research and prepare position papers on projects and policies having an impact on the environment; analyse and develop strategies on environmental law reform and policy initiatives; identify the legal tools available to enforce environmental law and challenge conflicting decisions; or present options and recommendations for clients to consider.
In weekly seminars, students will lead strategic discussions on the resolution of the client¿s issue based upon their own research while considering the client's needs and the continuous feedback from members of staff.
Ultimately, the Environmental Law Clinic provides students with the unparalleled opportunity to bridge their academic understanding and professional ambitions by contributing to the practice of EU and International environmental law.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2015/16, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 20,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 4,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
172 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
The nature of the Environmental Law Clinic requires continuous assessment in order to reflect the on-going process of the consultancy which is offered. The assessment method also needs to account for the diverse tasks which have to be fulfilled to complete the consultancy.
Components of assessment:
1. 40% Individual final oral exam: simulation of a report of the findings to the client.
2. 30% Individual contribution, consisting of the weekly assessment of students written and oral participation, assessed holistically.«br /»
3. 20% Team final report to the client.«br /»
4. 10% Individual Clinic Diary/Reflective Commentary: personal reflections of learning and progress, interactions with others, teamwork, issues arising, problem solving.«br /»
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| Feedback |
The summative assessment components are mostly relying on continuous assessment. Therefore, there will be no need for a formal formative assessment. However, students will be given detailed feedback on their oral and written weekly contributions. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate an in depth understanding of the concepts and law applicable to the issues covered by the consultation as well as of the stakeholders involved.
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of the applicable law as well as of its adoption and implementation processes.
- Critically analyse and evaluate the variety of possible interpretations of the applicable law.
- Master the legal tools available to stakeholders in environmental law.
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Reading List
Textbooks (Available online or in the library:)
¿ Beyerlin U., Marauhn T. International Environmental Law (Hart, 2011).
¿ Birnie P., Boyle A. and Redgwell C. International Law and the Environment, 3rd edn, (OUP, 2009).
¿ Brunnée J., Bodansky D. and Hey E. (eds) Handbook of International Environmental Law (OUP, 2007).
¿ Fisher, E. Environmental law: text, cases, and materials, 2013.
¿ Holder, J. and Lee, M. Environmental Protection, Law and Policy (Cambridge, 2007).
¿ Jans, J. and Vedder, H. European Environmental Law. After Lisbon, (Europa Law, 2012, 4th ed.).
¿ Kiss A. and Shelton D. International Environmental Law (2004, 3rd ed.).
¿ Kramer, L. EU Environmental Law, 7th edn. (Sweet and Maxwell, 2012).
¿ Lee, M. EU Environmental Law: Challenges, Change and Decision-making (Hart, 2014, 2nd ed.)
¿ Sands P., Peel, P. Principles of International Environmental Law (CUP, 2012, 3rd ed.).
Copies of these books are available on reserve in the Law Library.
Other useful references, online or in the library, includes:
¿ Boyle A., Freestone A. (eds.) International Law and Sustainable Development (OUP, 1999).
¿ Caldwell L.K. International Environmental Policy (Duke UP, 1996, 3rd ed.).
¿ Fitzmaurice M. et al (eds), Research Handbook on International Environmental Law (Elgar, 2010).
¿ Hedemann-Robinson, M. Enforcement of European Union Environmental Law: Legal Issues and Challenges (Europa Law, 2007).
¿ Lyster S. International Wildlife Law (2nd edn, Cambridge, 2010).
¿ Macrory, R. Reflections on 30 years of EU Environmental Law (Europa Law, 2006).
¿ Scott, J. Environmental Protection: European Law and Governance (Oxford, 2009).
¿ WCED, Our Common Future (OUP, 1987). Online.
¿ Craig, P. and De Búrca, G. EU Law: Texts, Cases and Materials (Oxford, 2011).
¿ Lenaerts, K. European Union Law (Sweet and Maxwell, 2011).
¿ Biondi, A., Eeckout, P. and Ripley, S. EU after Lisbon (Oxford, 2012).
¿ Borchardt, K. ABC of EU Law (EU, 2010) (available also online).
¿ Davies, K., Understanding European Union Law (Routledge, 2010).
Journals
Available in the library and/or as an electronic resource, via Heinonline, Westlaw or Lexis:
¿ Yearbook of European Environmental Law.
¿ Environmental Law Review.
¿ Journal of Environmental Law.
¿ Review of European Community and International Environmental Law (now re-named, Review of European, Comparative and International Environmental Law).
¿ Yearbook of International Environmental Law ¿ there are two particularly relevant annual updates (one on the EU Courts and one on the EU).
¿ American Journal of International Law.
¿ Common Market Law Review.
¿ European Journal of International Law.
¿ European Law Journal.
¿ European Law Review.
¿ International and Comparative Law Quarterly.
¿ Yearbook of European Law.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Research and Enquiry
By the end of this course students should be able to:
a) Critically analyse source materials and use them to present a structured argument.
b) Be able to plan and draft a piece of independent research.
c) Develop their ability to analyse and apply current case law and scholarship to problems and to suggest possible solutions.
d) Understand the needs of a client and tailor the writing of the final findings accordingly.
Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Personal and Intellectual Autonomy
By the end of this course students should be able to:
a) Apply critical analysis, evaluation, and synthesis to issues which are at the forefront of a subject/discipline.
b) Identify, conceptualise, and define new and abstract problems and issues.
c) Develop original and creative responses to problems and issues.
d) Deal with complex issues and make informed judgements in situations in the absence of complete or consistent data/information.
Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Communication
By the end of this course students should be able to:
a) Communicate, using appropriate methods, to non-academic audiences with different levels of knowledge/expertise.
b) Communicate with peers, more senior colleagues, and specialists.
c) Communicate appropriately with the clients and their partners.
d) Understand a broad variety of sources, including any document given by the client.
Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Personal Effectiveness
By the end of the course the students will:
a) Develop their ability to work independently under fixed deadlines.
b) Develop their ability to lead and participate in team work.
c) Develop their assertiveness with peers, supervising staff, and clients.
d) Participate effectively in seminars and discussions.
e) Develop their capacity for reflecting on their own and others¿ roles and responsibilities with a view to identifying strengths and weaknesses and furthering their own learning.
f) Develop their ability to present the outcome of independent research in a clear written and oral form.
g) Take responsibility for their individual and team work with a view to satisfying the client¿s needs.
Technical/practical skills
By the end of the course the students will:
a) Master the research tools in environmental law.
b) Develop their practical experience as consultants.
c) Develop their interviewing skills.
d) Develop their capacity to prospect new clients.
e) Develop their capacity to meet deadlines.
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| Keywords | Law, European Law, Environmental Law |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Apolline Roger
Tel:
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Karin Bolton
Tel: (0131 6)50 2022
Email: |
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