NOTE: This course is available as an In-Person
Section or an Online Section. Each section has its
own course description. Check the current catalog
or WebAdvisor to see which section is offered in
any given year.
Legal Research: Environmental Law - Professor
Robert Truman
Course Number: LAW-583-OL Online Section
Course Type: Highly Specialized
Credits: 2
Enrollment Limit: 25
Description: This course will be offered online
with no scheduled course meetings. Students will
gain advanced understanding of the legal resources
and research techniques used in the practice of
environmental, natural resources, and energy law.
We will cover sources and techniques beyond those
of introductory research courses, with an emphasis
on administrative materials and advanced statutory
research, as well as exposure to current awareness
tools, topical databases, international
environmental legal research, legislative tracking
and history, science and statistics sources,
cost-effective research strategies, and current
and archived sources of government information.
The course is designed to complement other
environmental, natural resources, and energy law
courses and clinics, and to allow students to
apply knowledge gained in this class to their
research, clinical, journal, and work experiences.
Prerequisite: none
Evaluation Method: Regular exercises and short
quizzes, class participation (through online
discussion and, potentially, synchronous video
chats), and a final research project on a topic
within environmental, natural resources, or energy
law of the student's choosing. This final project
may be related to a student's Capstone or other
writing requirement, clinical experience,
internship/externship, or other work.
Capstone: no
WIE: no
Legal Research: Environmental Law - Professor
Robert Truman
Course Number: LAW-583 In-Person Section
NOTE: This section will meet for two hours and run
for the first seven weeks of the semester. Because
of the shortened course structure, students may
not add this course after the first class meeting.
Course Type: Highly Specialized
Credits: 1
Enrollment Limit: 25
Description: This one-credit course will provide
in-depth exposure to the legal resources and the
most effective research techniques used in the
practice of environmental, natural resources, and
energy law. There will be a strong emphasis on
administrative law and the rulemaking process in
addition to advanced statutory and case law
research, and students will explore current
awareness tools, specialized information
databases, international environmental legal
research, environmental dispute resolution
resources, legislative tracking and legislative
history, science and statistics sources,
cost-effective research strategies, and current
and archived sources of government information.
The course is designed to complement other
environmental, natural resources, and energy law
courses and clinics, and to allow students to
apply knowledge gained in this class to their
research, clinical, journal, and work experiences.
Prerequisite: none
Evaluation Method: Class participation, in and out
of class exercises, and a final project on a topic
within environmental, natural resources, or energy
law of the student's choosing.
Capstone: no
WIE: no
