New Streaming Video Highlights Sturm College of Law Environmental and Natural Resources Law & Policy Program, "One of the Best in the World"

The Environmental and Natural Resources Law (ENRL) program at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law is featured in a new streaming video, which can be accessed by clicking here.

The video features interviews with various individuals who are involved with the program including Don C. Smith, ENRL director, Howard Kenison, a 1972 JD alum and nationally recognized environmental and energy law attorney who practices at Lindquist and Vennum, and Professor George (Rock) Pring, an internationally known environmental and resource law professor.

Students featured in the video are Kristi Disney, who will earn her JD and LLM in Environmental and Natural Resources Law degrees in 2011, and Matthew Wagner, who earned his Masters in Resource Law Studies degree in 2010.

Among other topics, the video points to the excellent externship program, headed by Professor Ann Vessels, which provides students a wide range of opportunities to work for federal, state, private, and non-profit institutions. Many consider the environmental and natural resources law externships available at the College of Law "second to none" in the United States.

DU Environmental and Natural Resources Externships: "Some of the Best Opportunities in the Nation," Professor Ann Vessels Says

Students studying environmental and natural resources issues at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law were advised recently to take advantage of the law school's many excellent externship opportunities. Students attending an Environmental and Natural Resources Law (ENRL) advising session heard Professors Fred Cheever, Rock Pring, and Ann Vessels, director of the College of Law Legal Externship Program, extol the benefits of undertaking one or more externships during law school.

Professor Vessels said, "We have some of the best environmental and natural resources externships in the country here at the Sturm College of Law. The Denver area specifically, and Colorado more generally, are excellent locations for the types of externships you are looking for." She noted that externship opportunities range from working for federal and state agencies, to non-profits and think-tanks, to private firms. Moreover, there is often a link between a student's externship experiences and their ability to get a job after graduation, Professor Vessels said.

Professor Pring noted that, "Externships are a great way to learn as well as meet key individuals. It also allows you to list the externships on your resume, which can be very impressive to prospective employers. I highly recommend [doing externships]."

Renewables Industry Advocate Interwest Releases Annual Report: Major Green Opportunities in the American West

One segment of the energy sector that we follow closely relates to renewable energy. And in this regard, one industry trade association that we have a relationship with and watch is the Interwest Energy Alliance, which represents America's leading renewable energy companies (click here to see their members).

Interwest's objective is to bring these companies "together with the West's non-governmental advocacy community to advance new project and transmission development."

Recently Interwest released its annual summary of Western Renewable Energy Highlights, which can be accessed by clicking here. Among other things, the annual summary reports that more than 850 megawatts of new wind energy projects were put in place last year in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Moreover, additional new wind and solar projects were announced in this region. This is what you will find in this influential group's annual summary:

Energy Alliance's annual summary of western renewable energy highlights provide just a snapshot view of some of the numerous activities that industry, government entities and many other parties are pursuing throughout the West to bring the region's renewable energy market foothold to scale.

The alliance is led by Craig Cox, a former congressional aide to U.S. Congressman Dan Schaefer, Republican of Colorado. In that role, Mr. Cox was instrumental in forming the U.S. House of Representatives Renewable Energy Caucus.

The graduate program and Prof. Ann Vessels, director of the College of Law program, work closely with Mr. Cox and members of the Alliance to provide externship opportunities. We at DU also solicit the Alliance's guidance about trends in the industry that should be reflected in our courses.

DU is a leader in renewable energy-related education, with two courses now being offered that focus directly on renewables-- "Renewable Energy Project Finance" and "Renewable Energy for the 21st Century: Law, Technology, and Markets."

DU Externship Program: Working With Dynamic Leaders and Organizations in the Environmental, Natural Resources, and Energy Fields

One key aspect of the DU graduate program experience is the opportunity students have to work as externs in the environmental, natural resources, and energy fields. In many instances, students work with key leaders and organizations who are helping shape future policies and law. Students make great contacts while they are learning about the day-to-day work that goes on in these dynamic fields. In short, externship experiences complement what students learn in the classroom.

Ann Vessels, Director of the College of Law Externship Program and formerly in-house counsel at a major U.S. natural resources company, has worked hand-in-hand with Prof. George (Rock) Pring to carry on the highly-respected externship program that he developed over many years. Today Prof. Vessels and I constantly talk about about new externships.

Among the organizations that have recently had DU interns include:

Colorado State Attorney General's Office

Department of the Interior

Environmental Protection Agency

National Conference of State Legislatures

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Non-governmental Organizations

Private Law Firms

And there are many, many more.

Recently Prof. Vessels and I spoke about the externship program. After watching Prof. Vessels (click here to see the video), I believe you will agree that the availability of the externship program is yet another reason the DU graduate program is widely regarded as a premier environmental and natural resources program.