How to become an environmental lawyer

Much like Marshall Eriksen in the hit sitcom How I Met Your Mother, you may also have the dream of saving the world through environmental law.

It may be difficult when thinking about it at first, but it is surely not impossible. Part of preparing yourself for this dream is to learn the important steps on becoming an environmental lawyer in Canada.

What are the steps to becoming an environmental lawyer in Canada?

Here’s an overview on how to become an environmental lawyer in Canada:

1. Get an undergraduate or bachelor’s degree
2. Take up a Juris Doctor program
3. Complete the articling requirement and write the bar exam

Let’s go over each of these steps.

Undergraduate or bachelor’s degree

One of mandatory requirements before you can enroll in Juris Doctor (JD) program is an undergraduate or bachelor’s degree.

Although there’s no specific degree required when taking the JD, studying a degree related to environmental law is an advantage if you’re keen on becoming an environmental lawyer.

Depending on the degree you’ve taken up, this will take up to 3 to 4 years.

Most law schools would require 3 years of undergraduate study.

Juris Doctor program

After obtaining an undergraduate or bachelor’s degree, your next step to becoming an environmental lawyer is to enroll in a Canadian law school.

This may take up to 3 years of studies, plus an additional 1 to 2 years for the articling period and writing the bar exam.

LSAT and GPA

In some law schools, they would require you to submit your Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score.

You should find out:

• when the LSAT is being offered
• what LSAT score your target school requires

Also, when applying for law school, they may consider your Grade Point Average (GPA). As such, it’s worth considering doing well in your undergraduate degree to get a high GPA.

Articling and bar exam

Last on your journey to become an environmental lawyer is articling and writing the bar exam. Articling means to work under the supervision of a lawyer. Its main objective is to teach practical skills needed when you’re already practicing law.

After the articling period, you must take the bar exam administered by your provincial Law Society.

What are the best majors to become an environmental lawyer? 

There are two areas where you can get the best major when studying environmental law in Canada:

1. during your pre-law degree
2. when studying law

Environmental undergraduate degrees

There are a lot of environmental undergraduate degrees that can prepare you when you’re going to study environmental law in the future.

Some examples of these degrees are:

• environmental policy
• environmental science
• forestry

Other degrees may also prove useful to the work of environmental lawyers, such as:

• biology
• chemistry
• economics-related
• engineering courses
• mining

In general, you may want to consider any other science-based bachelor’s degree when planning to become an environmental lawyer.  

Environmental law during law school

To prepare you for the legal doctrines, principles, and terms that are specific to environmental law, you may focus on environment-related courses in law school. There can be opportunities to take them when you reach your upper year level, or after finishing some pre-requisite subjects.

Depending on your law school’s curriculum, the main course to take would be Environmental and Natural Resources Law. Other related courses would include:

• Aboriginal and Indigenous Peoples law
• international environmental law

There are also other legal practice areas related to the practice of environmental law, such as:

• torts
• human rights law
• public international law

Extracurricular opportunities for aspiring environmental lawyers

During your time in law school, there are other opportunities that will help you decide whether to become an environmental lawyer:

• clubs and organizations: find law school clubs, organizations, and law clinics that are related to environmental law, addressing sustainability issues, and Indigenous peoples law
• summer internships: check for local firms whose focus practice area is environmental law that offer internships to work with during your summer breaks

What is the work of environmental lawyers in Canada?

Generally, the work of environmental lawyers revolves around two aspects, depending on who their clients are:

After becoming an environmental lawyer, you may work for a wide range of clients from the public and private sectors, such as:

• government agencies and regulatory bodies of environmental laws
• nonprofit organizations which advocate environmental protection
• law firms that specialize in Canadian environmental laws
• corporations, as legal in-house counsel, to help them comply with the law

Depending on what area of environmental law you’re going to specialize in, the specific job of an environmental lawyer may include:

• interpreting and advising clients regarding environmental laws that govern them
• litigation and other case building tasks (e.g. preparing pleadings)

Ready to become an environmental lawyer?

The career path of an environmental lawyer is like a tangle of roots — ever growing and far reaching. And it also comes with ups and downs, just like Marshall Eriksen’s career in How I Met Your Mother. Yet it’s a job that, though tiring, is surely a fulfilling one.

Looking for mentors who can show you how to become an environmental lawyer? Head over to our list of the Lexpert-ranked best environmental lawyers in Canada.