In 2008 College of Law introduced a new emphasis in Natural Resources and Environmental Law (NREL), allowing you to earn a designation on your diploma upon completion of at least 18 hours of designated course work in the area and a major writing assignment. The program was developed in response to the general fact that the practice of law is becoming more specialized and specifically that the practice of natural resources and environmental law has become highly technical and complex. The course of study is designed to give you broad expertise in Natural Resources and Environmental Law and an understanding of how to develop in-depth expertise in a specific topic while not sacrificing your broader legal education. In addition, due to the strong collaboration between the College of Law and other Colleges at the University of Idaho through the development of concurrent degrees in Water Resources and Environmental Science, you will have the opportunity to enrich your experience by taking courses outside the law school and learning to integrate science and social science with law.
Faculty Research Interests
You will select a faculty advisor in your first year of law school for the purposes of developing your course of study and your writing topic. You should select an advisor with research interests in an area you are interested in.
Professor Cosens’ research interests include the integration of law and science in water resource management and dispute resolution, resilience and adaptive governance of water resources with particular application to the Columbia River, and the recognition and settlement of Native American water rights. She is a member of the Universities Consortium on Columbia River Governance.
Professor EagleWoman brought a diverse background that includes tribal economic development, legal code development, litigation, criminal law and scholarly interest in international indigenous law to the University of Idaho College of Law when she joined the faculty in 2008. She has developed and directed the Native American Law Emphasis at the University of Idaho College of Law.
Professor Goble’s scholarship focuses on the intersection of natural resource law and policy, constitutional law, and history. In addition to the usual numerous articles and essays -- now numbering more than 50 -- he is the co-author of four books: Wildlife Law: A Primer (Island Press 2008), Wildlife Law: Cases and Materials (Foundation Press, 1st ed. 2002, 2d ed. 2009), and Federal Wildlife Statutes: Texts and Contexts (Foundation Press, 2002).
Dr. Long’s research is in land use law and subjects relating to the interdisciplinary “Water of the West” program at the University of Idaho. Professor Long is also an Affiliate Professor in the University’s Water Resources and Bioregional Planning programs. His dissertation – New West or Same West?: Evolving land-use institutions in the American West – explored how local land-use regimes respond to social and cultural change.
Professor Seamon has written two books on administrative law and many law review articles on issues of constitutional law and other public law subjects. He also served in the U.S. Department of Justice as an assistant to the Solicitor General of the United States.
Professor Telesetsky interests are focused on public international law and environmental law. As a Fulbright Fellow and a Berkeley Human Rights Center fellow, she has collaborated with communities in the Philippines and Papua New Guinea on developing culturally appropriate legal solutions to environmental protection problems. Currently she is examining what role international environmental obligations and domestic environmental law plays in shaping China’s evolving economic development policies.