DETROIT (May 14, 2009) - Wayne State University Law School is pleased to announce the addition of a new law clinic aimed at providing students with practical experience and serving the greater community. The Environmental Law Clinic will be offered starting in fall 2009.

The Environmental Law Clinic will teach students the skills and strategies needed to affect environmental policy in state and federal government. It will be led by Noah Hall, a well known environmental law expert and Wayne Law assistant professor, and co-taught by Nick Schroeck, '07, who recently finished a fellowship with the Great Lakes Commission.

During classroom sessions, students will learn about current environmental policy challenges and opportunities, and explore issues from multiple perspectives. Guest speakers from government, public interest and regulated industries will provide diverse views on environmental law and policy.

In the clinical component, students will participate in the lawmaking process by preparing policy papers and formal legislative testimony, commenting on rulemaking and permit decisions, and engaging in judicial review and enforcement litigation. In all clinical work, students will work with the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center and may be involved in formally representing other community organizations and public interest groups.

"The new Environmental Law Clinic will give our students the opportunity to play a critical role in solving our region's most pressing environmental problems," Professor Hall said. "It will complement our strong environmental curriculum and make our students even better prepared to hit the ground running when they begin their legal careers."

Though the new clinic has only recently been announced, there is already a great deal of interest from Wayne Law students.

"The practical experience that I will gain by participating in the Environmental Law Clinic will be excellent preparation for a career in environmental law and sustainable urban development," said Elizabeth Kruman, a first-year Wayne Law student."Clinical experience will enhance and solidify the knowledge gained in the classroom."

Wayne Law also offers students the Disability Law Clinic, the Small Business Enterprises and Non-profit Corporations Clinic, the Child Advocacy Clinic, Criminal Appellate Practice, and the Free Legal Aid Clinic, Plans are currently underway for the addition of an Immigration Law Clinic as well. For more information on Wayne Law clinics, visit http://law.wayne.edu/students/clinics.php?from=7239.

About Wayne Law
Wayne State University Law School has educated and served the Detroit metropolitan area since its inception as Detroit City Law School in 1927. Located at 471 West Palmer Street in Detroit's re-energized historic cultural center, the Law School remains committed to student success and features modern lecture and court facilities, multi-media and distance learning classrooms, a 250-seat auditorium, and the Arthur Neef Law Library, which houses one of the nation's 40 largest legal collections. Taught by an internationally recognized and expert faculty, Wayne Law students experience a high-quality legal education via a growing array of hands-on curricular offerings, five live-client clinics, and access to well over 100 internships with local and non-profit entities each year. Its 11,000 living alumni, who work in every state of the nation and more than a dozen foreign countries, are experts in their disciplines and include leading members of the local, national and international legal communities. For more information, visit www.law.wayne.edu.