You think you want to spend your life saving animals? Or maybe helping to save natural resources? Both are noble ideas. You can gain valuable knowledge and expertise in either area, with two LLMs from Lewis & Clark Law School.

The next generation of animal attorneys will revolutionize animal protection laws. If you want to do something meaningful to help the animals or inspire your parents with a respectable job, then animal law may be for you. And if you decide to pursue an LLM in animal law, you have no other choice than to enroll at Lewis & Clark Law School. Why? Because it is the only law school that offers an LLM degree in animal law.

Lewis & Clark Law School is also recognized as the top school in the nation for environmental law. (US News ranks Lewis & Clark’s environmental law program as number one in the country.) The law school was one of the first to offer a curriculum in environmental law in 1970 and remains one of the most robust programs in environmental, natural resources and energy law in the US. The LLM in environmental, natural resources, and energy law, covers all aspects including the laws of the U.S., international law, and related areas such as environmental justice, climate change, and wildlife law.

With a variety of opportunities to gain practical skills, nationally recognized programs, full-time and part-time options, and a faculty invested in student success, Lewis & Clark is an ideal place to receive a specialty degree once you have earned your JD.

International Students

Lewis & Clark, founded in 1915, is committed to its mission to put students first. The school has a collaborative culture, where faculty, alumni, mentors and fellow peers help students to succeed. It has one of the highest alumni employment rates in the Northwest US region. The school also seeks students from diverse backgrounds with the potential to do exemplary law schoolwork in its rigorous collegial environment.

The LLM programs have welcomed international students from Australia, Bolivia, Chile, China, France, India, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Switzerland, Tanzania, United Kingdom, Uganda, Ukraine, and Zimbabwe. The LLM program is kept deliberately small, between 12 and 20 students in any given year, so that they have the opportunity to work closely with environmental and animal law faculty and staff. Further, the law school evaluates international LL.M. students only on “Credit”, “No Credit”, or “Honors” basis only.

Let’s have a look at Lewis & Clark’s exemplary LLM degrees.

Environmental Law LLM – Online and On-Campus

The law school’s Environmental, Natural Resources and Energy Law is the first and leading program of its kind in the nation. It is renowned for its faculty, and the depth and breadth of its offerings with 12 full-time teaching faculty and 10-20 Adjunct teaching faculty, dozens of courses, three clinics/institutes, numerous legal practica, and two environmental nonprofits on-campus work with students. Going by the word of mouth, many students often report that the LL.M. in Environmental, Natural Resources, and Energy Law program at Lewis & Clark is a challenging, exhilarating, and life-changing experience.

Lewis & Clark offers the LLM degree in both on-campus and distance learning (online) options. The online LLM offers the same caliber of excellence as the on-campus courses. Students have access to many of the same professors and content, as the in-person students.

Further, the profession of environmental, natural resources, and energy law offers exciting opportunities for Lewis and Clark Law graduates, over a thousand of whom have gone on to interesting careers across the United States and all over the world. “The field is vast. Most of our graduates work in private law firms, government agencies, and nonprofit offices. Some work for international organizations; others teach environmental law in colleges or law schools. Some graduates find themselves in exciting non-traditional careers”, says the school’s management.

Animal Law LLM

Lewis & Clark Law School is proud to offer the world’s first advanced legal degree in animal law. The Animal Law LLM program is designed for U.S. and international law school graduates who desire to focus on animal law in practice, teaching, research, or public policy. The Animal Law LLM program is for recent law graduates or established lawyers who want to enhance their understanding of animal law for either their current or future practice.

The Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark offers the most extensive animal law curricula, giving students great flexibility in selecting a relevant area of focus. The LLM students have access to the same extensive course offerings as the JD students along with opportunities to enroll in the Animal Law Clinic, work on the Animal Law Journal, join the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund chapter, and attend the Animal Law Conference and Law Review Symposium.

With a large and ever-increasing list of animal law courses to choose from, students have an unparalleled opportunity to tailor the LLM program to their specific interests and career goals. While many courses provide students the opportunity to develop practical skills, several core offerings are specifically designed to provide students with experiential learning opportunities.

The Animal Law Clinic and the Animal Law Litigation Clinic enables students to conduct research, represent clients, and practice litigation skills. The clinic work develops the field of animal law and encourages consideration of the interests of animals in legal decision making.

Upon graduation, Animal Law LLM alumni continue to thrive and do transformational work on behalf of animals. Many of the alumni are making difference for animals in their home countries in an array of areas including wildlife poaching, illegal wildlife trade, conservation, environmental sustainability, education, scholarship, and more.

Animal Law LLM Scholarships

For students at a financial disadvantage, the Center for Animal Law Studies (CALS) offers full and partial scholarships for international Animal Law LLM students. The scholarships are the linchpin of the program because the opportunity to study and obtain the world’s first and only advanced legal degree in animal law is out of reach for so many animal advocates, particularly international students. This critical academic opportunity has facilitated the reach of animal law around the globe, where it otherwise would not have developed due to the lack of academic opportunity and funding.

Through scholarships, the LLM educates foreign attorneys so that they can take the substantive legal knowledge and practical skills they learn back to their home countries where they can use those tools for the benefit of the animals. These scholarships in Animal Law are not only life-changing for the individual scholarship recipients but also transformative in helping to develop the field of animal law internationally.

A Commitment to Foster Animal Law Internationally

At the Center for Animal Law Studies (CALS), the International Animal Law program aims to elevate the global field of animal law by supporting the development of animal law abroad. The program fosters relationships with professors, students, lawyers, judges, and other legal practitioners to collaborate and assist with projects that will enhance animal law advocacy and education. To further advance with the field, CALS collaborates on international workshops, conferences, training, and by supporting animal law practitioners working in-country through its micro-grants.

Where Students come First

At Lewis & Clark, scholars encounter all the hard work, long hours, and intellectual challenges usually associated with law school. However, students often note that here, fellow students, their teachers, and the staff respect them as individuals. The faculty and staff are particularly proud to see students grow and excel. It is definitely a privileged moment for The Knowledge Review to showcase such a prestigious institute, which not only does right by justice but also by the environment.