Just after taking the bar exam, I received news that I had been offered the position of Law & Policy Fellow at Maryland Sea Grant. Ecstatic, I accepted and am now entering my second year in this fellowship. My first year provided me with valuable experiences and introduced me to new fields of climate-related issues I was previously unfamiliar with.
My top priority in my first year was organizing the Chesapeake Rising symposium. This project sought to showcase new voices in the environmental law field and bring them together with experts to explore innovative solutions to challenges coastal communities within the Chesapeake Bay are facing. Taking on a leadership role, I communicated with professors, students, policymakers, scientists, and others to coordinate a concept for the symposium that would bring new ideas to participating law students and attendees alike. Interesting topics at the symposium were the current state of litigation, avenues for communities at extreme risk of sea level rise, and even tackling wildfires.
Additionally, I was able to attend a variety of conferences, events, and seminars that discussed legal avenues being opened or closed for environmental cases, such as the public trust doctrine. Attending these gatherings allowed me to learn more about environmental issues and pressing legal battles, as well as expand my professional network. Since I hope to continue working on environmental issues affecting the Chesapeake Bay area after my fellowship, the networking and professional development opportunities these events provided were invaluable.
As my second year in the fellowship begins, I am working on research aimed at combining multiple nature-based solutions, like living shorelines and oyster reefs, in Maryland. For this project, I’ll learn the different perspectives of those involved in the permitting, installation, and ownership of nature-based solutions. With so many interesting “hot-topic” issues like PFAS, environmental justice, renewable energy, and improving water quality, my second year as a fellow is sure to continue to broaden my knowledge of environmental regulatory and legal challenges.
The projects I work on during my fellowship provide me with the opportunity to learn about new concepts in the environmental and climate fields—knowledge that I can bring to my next position. When viewed through a professional development lens, in my first year, I was able to take on leadership positions and speak about my work at numerous events. These skills are transferable to many other aspects of my future career, where I hope to lead more projects, build on my learned experiences, and present research on regulatory and legal developments to experts and the public alike.
