by Seth Keith
The Nebraska Public Interest Law Fund (NPILF) provides a limited number of stipends to University of Nebraska College of Law students who secure public interest positions with a host organization that serves an unmet legal need.
Seth Keith is a third-year law student at the University of Nebraska College of Law and a 2020 NPILF recipient. He spent his summer working remotely for the Environmental Law & Policy Center, which is based in Chicago, and shares more about the experience below. Seth will graduate in May 2021 and plans to use his law degree to continue to be a strong advocate for a clean environment and changing the direction of fossil fuel-induced climate change.
I spent my summer working with some fantastic people at the Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC). ELPC’s mission is to develop and lead successful, strategic advocacy campaigns to improve environmental quality and protect our natural resources. As public interest entrepreneurs, ELPC engages in creative and diverse business dealmaking to put into practice a belief that environmental progress and economic development can be achieved together.
My experience with ELPC was both challenging and rewarding. I was able to work on projects with ELPC that involved the organization's clean water work, clean energy work, and its sound environmental public policy advocacy. While at ELPC I worked closely with environmental attorneys, public policy advocates, and other interns on a variety of projects. More than anything, I really enjoyed the people I was able to work with; they really are my heroes because they dedicate their careers to public health, clean air, clean water, and finding solutions for the disasters we face from fossil fuel-induced climate change.
My biggest challenge while at ELPC was without a doubt one of the projects under the clean energy umbrella because energy law and the bureaucracy involved in the energy sectors system is incredibly complex. I hated this project because of its complexity, while simultaneously loving the challenging nature of it. I also knew the project mattered because ELPC is working diligently to secure a future in clean, renewable energy.
My favorite project at ELPC was a separate project in the energy sector. It was my favorite because I was able to work closely with a team on the project and I felt like my work had a direct impact on the project and even changed the direction of it.
I would strongly recommend ELPC to anyone with an interest in doing environmental advocacy law. You will have a chance to work on important environmental issues with some brilliant and talented people. If your interest is doing environmental law from the corporate defense side this would not be a good fit for you, because I believe this type of work requires a certain degree of passion and dedication.
I would also strongly encourage others to donate to the NPILF fund so that law students can continue to pursue work they are passionate about and not just work that gives them a paycheck.
In October 2020, ELPC released a Clean Water Enforcement Report for Region 7 (which includes Nebraska) that Seth helped write. You can view the report here.
You can also read more about Seth's experience interviewing with ELPC and other public interest organizations at the 2019 Equal Justice Works Conference & Career Fair here.