Emory University School of Law has announced the launch of a formal Environmental Law concentration, beginning academic year 2026–2027. The concentration gives JD and LLM students a recognized credential in environmental law—a rapidly expanding field that spans climate change, energy regulation, environmental justice, natural resources, and emerging pollutants. 

"Emory Law has long been a destination for students serious about environmental law," said Mindy Goldstein, director of Emory’s Environmental and Natural Resources Law Program. "The Turner Environmental Law Clinic, our Environmental Initiative scholars, and our remarkable faculty have built a program that is already nationally recognized. This concentration puts a formal credential on what we have built—and signals to employers and students alike that Emory is among the very best places in the country to study environmental law."

The concentration will be administered by Mindy Goldstein and Mark Nevitt, both nationally recognized environmental law scholars with deep environmental law experience. Students who complete 12 credits across four course groups—Foundations, Core, Experiential, and Electives—while maintaining a 3.0 grade point average will earn the designation "Environmental Law Concentration" on their official transcript.

The launch formalizes a program already distinguished by:

• The Turner Environmental Law Clinic, which gives students hands-on experience on real environmental law cases with real clients.
• The Environmental Initiative, which provides scholarships and summer stipends to students committed to environmental law careers.
• More than 12 courses spanning core environmental doctrine through emerging fields including climate change, energy law, and international environmental law.
• 22 approved externship placements with organizations including the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division, Earthjustice, Southern Environmental Law Center, Southern Company, The Coca-Cola Company, and Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.

"Environmental law is at a pivotal moment," said Nevitt, who was elected a lifetime Fellow of the American College of Environmental Law in 2025. "Climate, energy, and environmental justice issues are at the center of legal, policy, and business decisions across every sector. Emory Law graduates with this concentration will be equipped to lead."

For more information about Emory Law's Environmental Law Concentration, visit https://law.emory.edu/admission/juris-doctor-jd/jd-concentrations.html.