Outreach Committee

Welcome to the ACOEL Outreach Committee web page. Thank you for your interest in our work and opportunities to engage with our Committee. In its outreach endeavors, the Committee identifies, cultivates and develops collaborative relationships among and between ACOEL Fellows and with other external organizations. Ideal relationships yield tangible projects and increase awareness of the College and Fellows. Examples of valuable recent collaborations include: The Judge Alfred P. Murrah Center for Homeland Security Law & Policy 2019 Summit, cosponsored with the Oklahoma City University School of Law (April 18-19, 2019); the EPA Superfund Task Force Final Report Listening Sessions cosponsored with ABA SEER and AALS (Summer, 2020). The Outreach Committee is also the domestic pro bono committee for ACOEL. The Outreach Committee facilitates ongoing projects as well, including the Annual Herrmann Legal Writing Award and the ACOEL Mentoring Program, among other activities. To accomplish our work, members of the Outreach Committee regularly connect with members of the Communications, Education, and International Pro Bono Committees. The ACOEL Strategic Plan outlines several priorities for the Outreach Committee that focus our work.

ACOEL Collaborations

Collaborative relationships between the ACOEL and other non-governmental organizations working in the environmental law and policy arena can enhance awareness of the College and help those external organizations meet their objectives. To establish collaborative relationships between the ACOEL and qualified U.S. non-project organizations working on environmental law and policy, the Outreach Committee engages with entities identified by Fellows as leading work on environmental issues or policies where the ACOEL can provide meaningful support. The Outreach Committee serves as a connection point, facilitating the work of individual Fellows with external organizations. Example collaborations include work with the American Bar Association, the Environmental Law Institute,  the Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law, the National Science Foundation, The Judge Alfred P. Murrah Center for Homeland Security Law & Policy, and the Waterkeeper Alliance. More information about these and other outreach connections is available. ACOEL has also produced white papers with the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) on significant developments in environmental law and policy, including Clean Air Act §111(d) existing source implementation and judicial review of EPA’s Waters of the United States rule.

Outreach Committee Connections

The Outreach Committee works closely with other ACOEL committees on a regular basis. For example:

• Members of the Outreach Committee work with the Education Committee on webinars and EPA listening sessions for Fellows.
• The Outreach Committee coordinates with the Strategic Planning group to enhance Fellows’ engagement in professional communities, including ACOEL, by developing and promoting a profile template for Fellows to use to share their experiences. This helps align Fellows’ legal and other professional skills and interests with educational and outreach projects initiated by ACOEL.
• Outreach Committee members collaborate with the Regional Activities Committee to identify and pursue opportunities to engage with state bar associations, regional conferences, and other events.

Get Involved

The Outreach Committee is open to all Fellows. We invite you to get involved and share your ideas for new domestic pro bono projects and outreach collaborations. To learn more about the ongoing projects of the Outreach Committee and to join our group, please contact Committee Co-Chairs, John Jacus and Dan Miller.