Interdisciplinary Environmental Clinic
An Overview
Established in 2000, the Interdisciplinary Environmental Clinic (IEC) is an interdisciplinary venture with a dual emphasis on experiential learning and community service.
The IEC represents non-profit groups, communities, and individuals who are pursuing legal action to protect the environment and community health but who cannot afford the legal representation and scientific expertise this requires. While providing pro bono representation to non-profit organizations and individuals, the IEC simultaneously trains law students to handle complex legal cases, enables non-law students to apply their specialized fields to legal and policy issues, and teaches all students to communicate effectively and work productively in an interdisciplinary setting.
The clinic handles a wide range of matters, both in terms of the issues involved (such as air and water pollution, solid and hazardous waste, lead poisoning, among other issues), as well as the nature of the matter. Some matters involve adversarial proceedings before federal, state, or local administrative bodies or courts, others call upon the clinic to evaluate a problem and devise a range of options for the client to use in addressing it; still others require clinic students to prepare and present educational materials to community groups. (See News: The Clinic at Work to see an example of how the Clinic serves its clients.)
Three environmental attorneys and two environmental engineers with assistance from an Engineering and Science Fellow teach in the IEC. Students from the Schools of Law, Engineering, Arts & Sciences, and Medicine, as well as the George Warren Brown School of Social Work and Olin Business School, work on IEC cases. The interdisciplinary student teams enjoy front-line responsibility under faculty supervision for environmental law cases and projects of local, regional, and national import.
Individuals with environmental and community health expertise as well as a commitment to environmental justice, provide guidance to the IEC by serving on the Community Advisory Board. Board members represent community interests, the medical/public health field, law, and environmental engineering and science.
- Confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, north of St. Louis. Photo: Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Read about the Clinic's victory for communities battling lead poisoning.
Persons or organizations interested in the Clinic’s services, as well as students with questions about the Clinic, may contact Maxine Lipeles, Clinic Co-Director, by e-mail at milipele@wulaw.wustl.edu or by telephone at (314) 935-5837; Bob Kuehn, Clinic Co-Director, by email at rkuehn@wulaw.wustl.edu or by telephone at (314) 935-5706; or Beth Martin, Engineering and Science Director by e-mail at martin@wulaw.wustl.edu or telephone (314) 935-4136.
Foundation Support
On behalf of the clients and communities that benefit from the IEC’s work, the students that experience public service while learning about complex environmental issues in an interdisciplinary setting, and the faculty and staff who are privileged to work in the IEC, we thank Washington University and our foundation partners for their generous support.
Current supporters: The Educational Foundation of America; The Evan Frankel Foundation; The Henry Luce Foundation; The Lumpkin Family Foundation; The McKnight Foundation; The Middle Fund; The Rockefeller Family Fund
Past supporters: The Deaconess Foundation; The Nathan Cummings Foundation