Welcome! The Mentoring Program is a service of ACOEL that connects individuals who are curious about careers in environmental law (Mentees) with experienced environmental lawyers (Mentors). The Mentoring Program helps Mentees discover what the practice of environmental law is, whether an environmental law career could be a good fit, and how to develop a career and professional network. There are many ways to practice environmental law and just as many places (both locations and organizations) in which to do it. The Mentoring Program serves as an opportunity for Mentors to share with Mentees the who, what, where, and how of environmental law careers. The Mentoring Program is also vital to the future of environmental law, particularly in connection with encouraging individuals with a broad cross-section of backgrounds and interests to explore a career in environmental law. The Mentoring Program is designed to parallel the academic calendar. Mentees and Mentors are generally identified in the fall and winter with pairings in the early spring so that the Mentees and Mentors have the spring and summer to engage. Please e-mail program chairs Michael Meloy (mmeloy80@gmail.com) or Kelly Haragan (kharagan@law.utexas.edu) with any questions.
The Mentoring Program is open to curious law students, new lawyers, undergraduate and graduate students, and other professionals interested in the environmental law field. There are a variety of ways to engage in the program. While Mentors typically build individual relationships with Mentees through one-on-one interactions, Mentors can also present to groups or student organizations. So long as a Mentee expresses a genuine curiosity about a career in environmental law, the Mentee does not need a specific focus of study or professional experience to participate in the Mentoring Program. Scientific and engineering studies are not a prerequisite for a successful environmental law career, although individuals with STEM backgrounds (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) often thrive in the environmental law arena. ACOEL’s Mentors include Fellows who apply their scientific and engineering backgrounds to their work as environmental lawyers and who can share their personal experiences with Mentees with STEM backgrounds.
ACOEL. ACOEL is an organization of distinguished and dedicated environmental lawyers. Membership is by invitation only, and members are recognized by their peers as preeminent in the field of environmental law. ACOEL’s members (referred to as Fellows) are united by common objectives that include sharing knowledge with others in the field. ACOEL Fellows are:
- conservationists, environmentalists, and professionals who promote the highest standards of environmental law practice and care genuinely about the work and clients that we represent;
- government lawyers, private law firm partners, non-governmental organization advocates, and environmental law school faculty;
- litigators, compliance counselors, policy makers, legislation authors, and teachers. Some combine a love of science and law into fulfilling career paths; and
- active listeners, creative thinkers, and problem solvers.
ACOEL Mentors. An ACOEL Mentor will listen to your thoughts and plans, plus answer questions as you explore options in the field of environmental law. An ACOEL Mentor can help you access information to carve a path that matches your goals and values. An ACOEL Mentor can also help connect you with other ACOEL colleagues who can assist in building your network of advisors.
Mentor/Mentee Pairings. Mentors are Fellows of the ACOEL who are experienced environmental lawyers from across the country, with a wide variety of practices (e.g., litigators, transactional attorneys, regulators, advisors, and mediators), working in a broad array of workplaces (e.g., private practice, government, non-profit, and academia). Mentees are law students, prospective law students and new lawyers in learning about, or furthering, careers in environmental law. An important priority of the Mentoring Program is to help encourage individuals with a broad cross-section of backgrounds and interests to explore a career in environmental law. Mentors are available to present to a wide spectrum of organizations about the practice.
The Mentor/Mentee relationship can be as simple as one or two telephone calls to get some general questions answered, or it may evolve into a longer-term, more traditional Mentor/Mentee relationship – the Mentors and Mentees decide. The ACOEL Outreach Committee will pair Mentors and Mentees based on the information provided through the web links below. The ACOEL Outreach Committee will take into account a wide variety of factors such as particular interests, backgrounds, career objectives, work experience, and geography in trying to make pairings that will lead to meaningful interactions between the Mentors and Mentees.
Individuals Seeking to Participate in the Mentoring Program as Mentees: If you are interested in participating in the Mentoring Program as a Mentee, please complete the Form for Individuals found here. This form provides an opportunity for you to share information about yourself, your background, your goals and objectives, and your interests. Such information will then be used to help pair you with a Mentor.
Professional Associations and Organizations: We encourage interested attorney and law student professional associations (including but not limited to diversity, identity, and affinity organizations), undergraduate organizations, and STEM professional organizations, to contact the Mentoring Program leadership regarding presentations on careers in environmental law, and for information about the Mentoring Program. We will be in touch to learn about your specific interests and needs; if you are interested in a presentation, we will strive to schedule and host presentations, either in person or virtually, at a mutually convenient time within approximately six weeks of a request.
Are you Ready to Get Involved?
Organizations Interesting in Participating in the Mentoring Program – Please enter the following information into the Form for Organizations:
Name of Organization Contact:
Name of Organization:
Contact Email Address:
Brief Summary of Organization’s Purpose and Community Served
How did you hear about ACOEL’s Mentoring Program?
Comments (including any information you want to share about your organization’s interest and goals in engaging with the Mentoring Program)
Questions?
Check out our FAQs below or please contact either of the Mentoring Program Co-Chairs:
Michael Meloy (mmeloy80@gmail.com) or Kelly Haragan (kharagan@law.utexas.edu) if you have questions about the Mentoring Program.
General Terms and Conditions for Mentoring Program Participants:
- The ACOEL is the vehicle for the Mentoring Program; participants are the Mentors and Mentees or the organizations requesting a presentation from ACOEL Mentors.
- Neither the ACOEL nor any participant is providing legal advice through the Mentoring Program.
- Participation in the Mentoring Program does not represent an enforceable agreement to provide a service.
- Participation in the Mentoring Program does not represent any promise of employment, nor is the relationship to be used for employment solicitation.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
What is ACOEL?
The American College of Environmental Lawyers (ACOEL) is a professional association of distinguished lawyers who practice in the field of environmental law. Membership is by invitation only and members are recognized by their peers as preeminent in the field of environmental law. ACOEL members (also referred to as ACOEL Fellows) are dedicated to maintaining and improving the ethical practice of environmental law; to the administration of justice; and to the development of environmental law at both the state and federal level.
Who are the Mentors?
Mentors are ACOEL Fellows who agree to participate. They come from all fields of environmental law and all regions of the country. Mentors may currently be serving in positions within government, academia, private practice, or non-governmental organizations or have done so in the past. Depending on a Mentee’s particular interests, objectives and background, a Mentor may be able to facilitate introductions through personal networks and connections that could be of assistance to the Mentee in exploring a career in environmental law.
Can I be a Mentee if I am not a law student or new lawyer?
Yes. The Mentoring Program is available to any individual who is curious about a career in environmental law. Undergraduate and graduate students regardless of academic emphasis, law students, new lawyers, and other professionals (including STEM professionals) are invited to participate, so long as a prospective Mentee expresses a genuine curiosity about a future career in environmental law. Students from all backgrounds—whether humanities, social sciences, or STEM fields—can succeed as environmental lawyers. While scientific and engineering studies are not a prerequisite for a successful environmental law career, STEM professionals often thrive in the environmental law arena. Regardless of your background, if the idea of an environmental law career prompts you to learn more, then you are an eligible ACOEL Mentee.
Is the Mentoring Program a program to help Mentees get jobs?
No. The Mentoring Program can help students and new lawyers build valuable knowledge and relationships, but the Mentoring Program is not a job board or a career service. The Mentoring Program is an opportunity to learn about the field of environmental law from experienced practitioners.
Can I post a job through the Mentoring Program?
No.
What is the commitment expected of a Mentor?
As much time as the Mentor can reasonably give. When filling out the Mentor questionnaire, Mentors should be specific and realistic about the time they can and would like to provide. Some Mentees may be looking for just a telephone call to ask a specific question or to get started. Others may be looking for a longer-term Mentor/Mentee relationship. The Outreach Committee will do its best to pair Mentors and Mentees with similar expectations. We recognize that both Mentors and Mentees have many other demands in their lives. The Mentoring Program is intended to foster helpful and meaningful interactions without becoming burdensome to any of the participants.
As a Mentee, when will I get paired with a Mentor?
After a prospective Mentee submits the Form for Individuals found here: [insert link to form], the ACOEL Outreach Committee will review the information that is provided and pair the Mentee with a Mentor. We expect that Mentors and Mentees will be paired in the early spring if possible.
As a Mentee, can I pick my Mentor?
Mentees may request a Mentor and if that Fellow is participating in the Mentoring Program, then we will make every effort to connect you. Please note that not every ACOEL Fellow is able to be a Mentor, and those who participate may not be able to satisfy the time commitment that a Mentee seeks. Mentees are prompted on the application form to provide information that will help with the pairing process.
Will Every Mentor and Mentee be Paired?
The Outreach Committee will make every effort to pair each of the Mentors and Mentees who sign up for the Mentoring Program. However, there is the possibility that we will not be able to accommodate all of the Mentees if there is a shortage of Mentors. In that case, those who sign up first will be given priority. Conversely, if we have more Mentors who have volunteered than Mentees for a particular cycle, some of the Mentors may not be paired for that cycle.