During summer 2019, Seth Boettcher (3L) interned with the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) and the Public Utility Commission of Texas, secured, respectively, through the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section and the Oil, Gas, and Energy Law Section of the Texas State Bar.

Alexandra “Ally” Lizano (3L) spent her 1L summer as a law clerk for the United States Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD).  She was placed in the Natural Resources Section (NRS) field office in Sacramento, California. For Lizano, the placement worked out perfectly since she is originally from California and was able to learn from some of the best environmental lawyers currently representing the United States. 

Alexandra “Ally” Lizano (3L) spent her 1L summer as a law clerk for the United States Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD).  She was placed in the Natural Resources Section (NRS) field office in Sacramento, California. For Lizano, the placement worked out perfectly since she is originally from California and was able to learn from some of the best environmental lawyers currently representing the United States. 

Stacie Dowell has been working for the Trinity River Authority (TRA) since 2012, when she was hired as a paralegal. Having graduated from Texas A&M School of Law in 2017, she is now an associate in that legal department. In her role, she encounters a  wide variety of legal issues spanning contract, employment, business, property, and water law.

Scott McDonald graduated from Texas A&M University with a BBA in Finance in 1988 and later attended Texas Wesleyan School of Law (now Texas A&M University School of Law). McDonald began his career practicing corporate law with firm in Round Rock, TX before joining the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)’s Litigation Division in 1999.  In this role, he handled cases involving water, air, and waste for two-years in Austin, Texas, followed by two-years in TCEQ’s Dallas-Fort Worth Regional Office. In 2002, Mr. McDonald began working for EPA Region 6 in the Office of Regional Counsel, Enforcement Division, where he dealt with the  Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and RCRA (hazardous waste statute).  Since 2006, he has served as the Water Branch Chief for Region 6.

This semester, eight upper level students are participating in the school’s first International Oil and Gas Negotiations course, led by Professor Guillermo J. Garcia Sanchez. The course features an experiential component where students participate in mock negotiations with a parallel class being taught at Southern Methodist University by Executive Professor Harry Sullivan, who teaches at both law schools. In the class, students will learn the basics of international petroleum transactions, as well as how international oil companies draft contractual provisions, negotiate deals with governments, and adopt best practices in their operations. Also, this course provides hands-on, practical negotiation experience through a series of simulated exercises where students role-play as lawyers representing clients on different sides of an acquisition of oil and gas exploration rights in a foreign country.

On September 26^th, the Texas A&M EENRS Law Program hosted Ann Drumm from Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL). CLL is a non-profit, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy organization focused on national policies for addressing climate change.

Professor Thomas Mitchell joined Texas A&M in 2016 as a Professor of Law. He teaches property and land use courses and also serves as co-director of the Real Estate and Community Development program at the Texas A&M School of Law. While Professor Mitchell enjoys teaching, he says he has always enjoyed research, particularly when focused on broader social impacts. The primary focus of his research is real property in rural and economically disadvantaged communities, which began when he was working on his LL.M. degree at the University of Wisconsin.

August 29-30, a select group of environmental scholars from across the country was invited to a workshop at Texas A&M University School of Law(TAMU Law) to present their ongoing environmental law-related research. This first-ever Environmental Schmooze (or EnviroSchmooze) focused on climate change issues and challenges. The purpose of the workshop was to allow participants to engage in meaningful conversations and analyses in a safe environment on critical legal and policy issues related to the papers. As a result, presentations were limited to 10 minutes and substantial time was set aside for the discussions.

This past September 17, students, faculty, and local attorneys gathered over hors devours' to network and celebrate the launch of the Energy, Environmental, and Natural Resource Systems (EENRS) Law Program at the Texas A&M School University of Law. The program endeavors to train and offer real world experience to students on law and policy issues related to the use, management, and conservation of the world’s natural resources.  It also seeks to advance research into natural resource areas and issues that connect with other disciplines and with communities globally. Professor of Law and Director of the EENRS Law Program, Gabriel Eckstein, regards the change as “reflecting the strength and breadth of our program and all that it has to offer” and noted that he and the rest of the faculty “really look forward to continue building on the academic and research excellence and career opportunities that we have established here.”