Next Generation Environmental Advocates

ELAW has been glad to work with our summer legal interns, Haley Rowlands and Alex Kerr, and undergraduate interns Mira Kron and Lily Nelson. We collaborated with each student to tailor a program that aligns with their skills and academic interests and helps advance ELAW’s mission.

Legal Interns

Haley Rowlands is a rising 3L at Boston College Law School. She has reviewed climate policies of development banks, researched U.S. regulation of sulfur content in transportation fuels, and crafted legal arguments to protect threatened wildlife.
Her favorite part of interning with ELAW has been working at the crossroads of environmental protection and human rights. “Every topic I work on feels like it is creating lasting good for the earth and its inhabitants,” says Haley.

Alex Kerr is a rising 3L at the University of California, Irvine School of Law. He has analyzed environmental impact assessment laws from several countries for ELAW’s EIA Law Matrix and researched case law regarding the right to self-determination for Indigenous groups and other research to support our partner’s ongoing cases.
“My favorite part of the internship so far has been reading cases from other countries and learning how those courts not only handle environmental lawsuits procedurally, but how the justices frame the issues,” says Alex. “It’s clear from the opinions that many justices care very deeply about preserving the environment.”

Undergraduate Interns

Mira Kron is a combined Political Studies and Critical Global Studies major at Pitzer College. She has enjoyed helping ELAW add to a growing database of plastic legislation from around the world, and providing organizational and logistical support to our team planning the ELAW Annual Meeting recently held in Cebu, Philippines.
“My favorite part of working with ELAW so far has been getting to know the team,” says Mira. “The team meetings are super interesting as everybody is always exploring some cool new aspect of environmental justice. I also enjoyed spending time with ELAW Fellow Ahmed Elseidi — it was inspiring to hear him talk about his work in Egypt.”

Lily Nelson studies at Scripps College. During her internship, Lily helped organize ELAW’s plastic law database, and used her Spanish language skills to research plastic laws from Latin America and to map the locations of oil production and exploration activities in Latin America and the Caribbean.
“My favorite part of my internship has been observing and participating in the inner workings of ELAW,” says Lily. “I’ve enjoyed learning about the diverse people and skills needed to operate a non-profit.”
Many thanks to the interns for their excellent work!

Jen Gleason
Law Program Director
Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide