Rebecca Fischer

This summer I interned with Crag Law Center, a nonprofit working to protect and sustain the Pacific Northwest’s natural legacy.  Crag is located in downtown Portland (a block from Powell’s) and has five attorneys and a development director.  Crag’s staff work on a variety of issues including protecting public lands, wildlife, and clean water, and maintaining livable communities.  Much of their work involves federal environmental laws, but Crag also works on a number of land use cases involving state law and environmental justice cases involving the federal Civil Rights Act. 

For most of the summer, I drafted motions and an amended complaint for an ongoing case on violations of the National Environmental Policy Act and National Forest Management Act.  I also conducted legal research and drafted legal memoranda on the Endangered Species Act, the Oregon Public Records Act, recovery of attorneys’ fees, as well as a variety of other issues.

Working for Crag was a fantastic learning experience in a fun environment.  All of the staff at Crag are extremely approachable and welcoming and go out of their way to engage the summer interns.  This includes taking everyone on a summer rafting trip.  On the legal side, you work one-on-one with your assigned attorney.  Through this setup, I learned about the practical side of litigation and legal strategy and received constructive guidance and feedback on all of my projects.  Additionally, since Crag works on a variety of issues, I always had new, challenging assignments to complete.  Overall, I greatly enjoyed my experience with Crag and would highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in environmental law.   Thank you PILP for making it possible!