Clinics—External Clinics

National Wildlife Foundation Supervising Attorney: Tom France
Clark Fork Coalition Supervising Attorney: Matt Clifford
The Montana Water Trust Supervising Attorney: John Ferguson

Faculty Supervisor:
Professor Elizabeth Kronk
406.243.6781
elizabeth.kronk@umontana.edu

Students placed with the Natural Resource Law Clinics may work with either The National Wildlife Federation Northern Rockies Natural Resource Center, The Clark Fork Coalition, or The Montana Water Trust.  There is a maximum of one student per section.

The National Wildlife Federation’s Northern Rockies Natural Resource Center is involved in cutting-edge litigation and policy formation at the state, regional and national levels. Students will be supervised by Tom France of the National Wildlife Federation in Missoula, but will also have the opportunity to work with other lawyers active in natural resource litigation. Students will be involved with issues including forest planning, grazing, coal bed methane development, hard rock mining, oil and gas leasing, and endangered species management. NWF has a particular focus on wildlife conservation and restoration including wolves, prairie dogs, and grizzly bears. NWF’s wolf work currently includes initiatives in the southern Rockies and the northeast. In working on these projects, students will have an opportunity to work with NWF biologists, other NGO’s, and government officials. Work assignments include brief writing, administrative appeals, NEPA comments, and legal and factual (scientific and otherwise) research.

The Clark Fork Coalition offers a mix of experience in litigation and environmental policy/advocacy. Students will be supervised by Matt Clifford. The Coalition's mission is to protect and enhance water quality and environmental health in the Clark Fork River basin. Typical clinical assignments include research and writing related to ongoing litigation under laws such as the state water quality act, the metal mine permitting laws, and local land use law. Students also can expect to help prepare substantive comments on environmental impact statements and other government proposals, and to assist with representing the Coalition before state and federal administrative agencies.

The Montana Water Trust is pioneering legal, contractual and scientific methods for restoring and protecting instream flows in tributaries critical for fish and wildlife. Students will be supervised by John Ferguson. Students will research and analyze the legal parameters of water rights to assess their potential for fish and wildlife benefit, conduct factual investigations relating to historic and current irrigation practices for potential projects, analyze legal issues related to those practices, draft contracts, prepare and submit change of use applications to the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and prepare substantive comments on environmental impact statements. Legal research areas include the Montana Water Use Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, and local land use laws.