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The Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis is offering a new Concentration in Environmental and Natural Resources Law (ENR) for eligible J.D. graduates starting in December 2011. Students completing the concentration will study legal frameworks for managing environmental and natural resource challenges facing policymakers, businesses, and the public – challenges that feature in headlines and in public policy debates daily. The ENR Concentration serves as a gateway for students wishing to work in the growing fields of environmental or natural resources law as well as those interested in future work concerning property law, real estate development and transactions, corporate acquisitions, land use, energy policy or regulation, urban planning, transportation, agriculture, conservation, public health, or occupational safety. The Concentration also benefits students interested more generally in public policy, public interest advocacy, or government at the local, state, national, or international level.

“It is difficult to imagine a more compelling issue facing our country – indeed our planet – than the question of how to protect human life and conserve vital resources even as we secure long-term prosperity,” noted Professor Eric Dannenmaier, who directs the school’s ENR Program. “Managing development in a way that balances economic growth with broader societal needs is a complex and critical task, and it is at the heart of environmental and natural resources law. The new ENR Concentration recognizes our school’s commitment to preparing our students to address these difficult issues. The concentration will provide academic grounding and analytical tools necessary to compete and lead effectively whether our graduates work at the state, local, national, or international level.”

A Concentration in Environmental and Natural Resources Law will be awarded to J.D. candidates who complete at least six approved courses totaling at least 15 credit hours in Environmental and Natural Resource Law and closely-related subjects while maintaining a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Courses that meet the ENR requirement include:

• Environmental Law
• Natural Resources Law
• Administrative Law
• Animals and the Law
• Climate Law and Policy
• Energy Law and Regulation
• International Environmental Law
• Land Use
• Toxic Tort and Environmental Law
• Utility Law
• Water Law

A new course in Agricultural Law and the Environment is also being offered in the spring semester, 2012, and new courses on Environmental Justice and Environmental Compliance and Enforcement and are in the planning stages for the 2012-13 academic year.

In addition, ENR Concentration students will complete a research or experiential “capstone course” that may include externships, law and state government placements, supervised research, and advanced field research. Full details on the concentration can be found at http://indylaw.indiana.edu/programs/ENR/Concentration.htm

The ENR Concentration is one part of IU School of Law – Indianapolis’ broader ENR Program, which is a curricular and co-curricular program designed to prepare students for practice in the private sector, government, and public interest organizations. The ENR Program is an important and growing part of our educational mission. More information is available at http://indylaw.indiana.edu/programs/ENR/