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    SEER Pro Bono Opportunities for Lawyers and Law Students

    Opportunities for lawyers to work on pro bono projects related to environmental, energy, and resources law.

    Sign up to volunteer with a Thriving Earth Exchange project.

    The ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (SEER) is partnered with the American Geophysical Union’s Thriving Earth Exchange, which helps lawyers, scientists, and other professionals work with community leaders on community science projects. Thriving Earth Exchange’s mission is to strengthen and enhance collaboration among communities, scientists, and partner organizations so that all communities can build healthy, resilient, thriving, just, and ecologically responsible futures.

    Thriving Earth Exchange has found that in many of their projects legal advice can play an important role in structuring solutions. The SEER partnership with Thriving Earth Exchange will help provide the legal advice and/or research that will support their important community projects.

    2L law students who are interested in working on pro bono projects will be assigned a lawyer mentor who will act as the primary lead on a project and assist the student with project work. Due to the nature and length of most projects, only 2L students can participate at this time.

    Examples of Thriving Earth Exchange Projects include developing a feasibility study for community choice aggregation renewable energy options for Arlington, Virginia; standardizing greenhouse gas inventory options for decision-making in Atlanta, Georgia; establishing a low-cost, sustainable environmental monitoring for Barnesville, Ohio; incentivizing clean industry in Birmingham, Alabama; assessing future flood risk for sustainable solutions in Brazoria County, Texas; developing a green roof for community revitalization and empowerment in Flint, Michigan; exploring renewable energy options for Hermosa Beach, California; and supporting an adaptive management approach to reduce transportation emissions in San Francisco.  A more extensive list of projects can be viewed here.

    After completing the sign-up form, the SEER Pro Bono Task Force will contact you to let you know about project opportunities that match you interests.

    Participation in pro bono projects is voluntary and the American Bar Association does not provide any insurance coverage to project participants.