Advanced Natural Resources Law & Policy Practicum (WRLC)

Advanced Natural Resources Law & Policy Practicum - Professors Samantha Bayer and Dave Hunnicut 

• Course Type: Highly Specialized & Experiential
• Credits: 2
• Enrollment Limit: 1-2
• Description:  The Advanced Natural Resource Law & Policy Practicum allows students who have completed the 4 credit WRLC Practicum to continue developing their skills through an additional semester of supervised fieldwork. This advanced course is designed for students seeking deeper experience representing agricultural producers, ranches, timber and forestry companies, energy developers, mining operations, fisheries, and other natural resource enterprises.

Students may remain in their existing placement or be matched with a new practitioner supervisor. The advanced practicum emphasizes increased independence, more complex assignments, and continued exposure to both traditional legal practice and legislative or administrative advocacy affecting natural resource industries.

Seminars: Unlike the 4 credit introductory practicum, the advanced course includes periodic seminar meetings with WRLC faculty rather than weekly sessions. These seminar meetings focus on advanced practice skills, problem solving in natural resource law, and collaborative discussion of ongoing placement work. Advanced students may also participate in guest speaker seminars of the introductory course to continue learning from industry counsel, executives, and policymakers.

Placements: Field placements remain the core of the advanced practicum. Students will complete 6–8 hours per week of client oriented work, including in office time with their placement supervisor. Students may also contribute to matters handled by the Oregon Property Owners Association Legal Center or WRLC select cases, depending on availability and educational value.

Applications & Enrollment: Enrollment in the Advanced Practicum is by application only. Students may not register directly. To apply, students must submit a resume and cover letter to ohunnicutt@wrlegal.org.
Your cover letter must include:
• Which semester you are applying for
• Your name, contact information, and year in law school
• Your reasons for continuing with WRLC and your interest in advanced natural resource practice
• Any preferences regarding field placement options (continuing or new)
Field placements are a required component of the course. WRLC staff will make every effort to match students with their preferred placements; however, matches cannot be guaranteed and depend on supervisor availability.

Additional Information: More information about the Western Resources Legal Center, faculty, and programs can be found at www.wrlegal.org. WRLC is located at Lewis & Clark Law School.

• Co- or Prerequisite: Only students that have completed the Natural Resources Litigation/WRLC Practicum and have the professor’s approval may apply to take this course.
• Evaluation Method: Credit/no credit based on client representation, adherence to the Oregon Rules of Professional Conduct and WRLC policies, attendance, seminar participation, and written assignments.
• Capstone: no
• WIE: Optional; requires prior professor permission