Environmental law, where should I go?

[RNT]

I just took my diagnostic yesterday and got a 168. I'm now studying my balls off for the LSAT and hope to gain a few points on that score. My UGPA is 3.3 and I'm interested in environmental law. I'm looking at:
Vermont
UC Boulder
Pace
University of Maine
Emory
UNC-CH (I'm a senior here right now)

If I score at or above my diagnostic score live, do I have a chance at any of these schools? Is there anywhere else I should look? I am really hoping that a stellar LSAT will cancel out my mediocre GPA. I'm on a full academic scholarship at UNC and from a disadvantaged family if it makes any difference.

[big - fat - box]

A 3.3 isn't that bad. It won't even necessarily prevent you from getting into a top 15 law school.

After you get a real LSAT score, worry about what schools to look at. Right now just focus on studying for the test.

[Ninja1]

Colorado, Emory, or North Carolina, with my preference being Emory or North Carolina. Also consider Florida State if your LSAT comes out a few points lower than your diagnostic.

[Matthies]

Colorado has a good envriomental law program, lots of course offerings plus some internship set ups with local envrio PI orginizatuions. Plus Denver has a ton of envrio groups here, plus EPA region 8 HQ. Find out what your LSAT is then I can give you more advice on envrio law.

[RNT]

Ninja1, why do you recommend Emory and UNC over UC?
Colorado looks like a really solid program from what I've seen, so I'm just wondering what makes you choose the other two.

Big thanks to you guys for helping.

[Matthies]

Ninja1, why do you recommend Emory and UNC over UC?
Colorado looks like a really solid program from what I've seen, so I'm just wondering what makes you choose the other two.

Big thanks to you guys for helping.

Most folks on here will tell you to go to the highest ranked school regardless of what you want to practice. I don’t think that’s the case for environmental law (unless you want to work in DC) if environmental law is what you want to practice it’s going to vary from state to state, some states like those out west have more environmental regulations than states in the east (because western states are more federal land and state land then eastern states) thus they have more envrio orginzations there than in the east. Its also depnds on what type of envrio issues you might want to work in, public lands stuff is not done in the east, pretty much only the west, water is not as big an issue back east as it is in the west, ect.

So if environmental law is your goal and your sure that won’t change, then pick a school with a good program in an area where you would be willing to work. Not a lot of hiring for environmental jobs in done through OCI so you need a school that has good connections and internships to get your foot in the door somplace local. So basically go to the best school in the region you want to work that has a decent environmental program that will get you some experience or internships and some connections before you graduate.

BTW I just graduated and specialized in environmental law including an MLS/LLM in environmental and water law.

[observationalist]

My numbers were 168/3.4 and that got me into Vanderbilt, and I've very much enjoyed the sweet opportunities I've had in their enviro program.  There's a person over on TLS that's in the process of putting some sort of ranking metric together for enviro programs, where they weight the overall job prospects first and then focus on which ones have the most profs, courses, clinical offerings, journal ops, etc for people looking to specialize in enviro law. It's not perfect but it will give you an idea of how much job security ends up playing into most people's decisions. Here's the link: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=79085

If you can get a 169 or better I'd say look into Vandy.  Keep an eye on how we do for OCI this year (and how my class, '10) did this summer. The school is very good about publishing information on job placement, and you'll be able to see where people are going. I think we're doing much better than larger programs or regional ones that rely on hiring from a single market to place grads, but that's still speculation until we can produce some data on how we're doing since the market began retracting.

Otherwise, I agree with Matthies. If you know you want to practice environmental law in New England, for example, and you're looking at agencies/non-profit, taking a scholarship at Vermont or Pace could be a great way to get a JD and gain some pretty awesome experience in their clinics. I don't know enough about UMaine to comment.  BC also has a really strong enviro program.  G'luck studying.

[Ninja1]

Ninja1, why do you recommend Emory and UNC over UC?
Colorado looks like a really solid program from what I've seen, so I'm just wondering what makes you choose the other two.

Big thanks to you guys for helping.

Southern bias and I've been unimpressed by the CU system for some time now.

[Matthies]

Ninja1, why do you recommend Emory and UNC over UC?
Colorado looks like a really solid program from what I've seen, so I'm just wondering what makes you choose the other two.

Big thanks to you guys for helping.

Southern bias and I've been unimpressed by the CU system for some time now.

Its got its issues, if cost was the same I'd pick DU over CU for envrionemtal law any day, but DU is EXEPNSIVE

[WaveLaw]

Ninja1, why do you recommend Emory and UNC over UC?
Colorado looks like a really solid program from what I've seen, so I'm just wondering what makes you choose the other two.

Big thanks to you guys for helping.

Southern bias and I've been unimpressed by the CU system for some time now.

Its got its issues, if cost was the same I'd pick DU over CU for envrionemtal law any day, but DU is EXEPNSIVE

Tulane is a good balance of overall school and enviro specialty. The clinic is pretty bad ass too.  Your numbers would get you a decent scholly.