What an Environmental Attorney at the State of California Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Environmental Law Industry
Dee, a California state attorney, discovered that many environmental lawyers in private firms act as advisors, ensuring clients comply with environmental regulations, contradicting the initial perception that such lawyers primarily challenge rules; this finding was an "important lesson" for Dee's career.
Environmental Law, Legal Practice, Private Sector Law, Client Relations, Regulatory Compliance
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Dee Dee Dickey
Attorney
State of California
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley - JD
Anthropology, Sociology
Government & Public Sector, Law
Legal
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Many environmental lawyers in private firms help clients comply with environmental regulations, rather than solely challenging them.
2. The role of an environmental lawyer can involve advising clients on how to follow environmental laws and regulations in their projects, such as building a hospital.
3. It's important to understand the various roles environmental lawyers play within different sectors (private firms vs. public sector) and how they contribute to environmental protection.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone had told you before you entered the industry?
The thing that most surprised me during my time as an environmental lawyer was that people who work in private law firms, people who work with developers, often are advocates for the environment.
By that, I mean they may represent a developer who wants to build a hospital. Their role is to advise the developer on how to build the hospital consistent with current rules, regulations, and so on.
Before I started working in the field, I would have thought that people who work for law firms were on the other side. I thought their role was to bend or challenge the rules.
I found that just doesn't tend to be true. There may be some people who are there to challenge rules, but by and large, most environmental lawyers I've met in private firms are there to tell their clients how to follow the laws. That was an important lesson for me.