Learning & Teaching

Title of case study	Environmental Justice Clinic
School / subject	All levels Law
Lecturer	Dr Rebecca Williams and Dr Giedre Jokubauskaite
Course	Extracurricular Activity
Student Level	All levels
Class size
Location

Brief summary 

The Glasgow Environmental Justice Clinic (EJC) is a policy-focused Clinical Legal Education initiative that enables law students to engage with real-world environmental justice issues through research and advocacy.

Unlike traditional legal clinics, the EJC does not work with live clients but instead collaborates with external organisations (namely, Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland (ERCS)) to support policy development and legal reform. Students contribute to projects that aim to advance environmental justice, particularly for underrepresented communities, while being supervised by academic experts in the field.

The clinic provides a unique opportunity to explore the intersection of law, policy, and social justice in a practical, impactful setting. It also provides students with a platform to develop their skills (both disciplinary and future), gain invaluable real-world experience and grow their professional networks.

Objectives

The primary objective of the Glasgow Environmental Justice Clinic is to provide law students with meaningful, real-world experience in the growing and impactful field of environmental law and policy. By engaging in research and advocacy projects with external partners such as the Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland (ERCS), students gain insights into environmental justice issues and develop practical skills both disciplinary related such as research, advocacy and legal analysis as well as a range of future skills including collaboration, communication and strategic thinking.

At the same time, the clinic aims to offer valuable support to environmental NGOs, contributing to their capacity to promote legal and policy reforms that advance environmental justice across Scotland. This dual focus on student development and community impact is central to the clinic’s mission.

What is done? 

At the Glasgow Environmental Justice Clinic, student volunteers take the lead on policy-focused legal research and advocacy projects in collaboration with external organisations such as the Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland (ERCS). The work spans a wide range of activities, including in-depth legal and policy research, comparative analysis and drafting policy proposals, memos and legislative recommendations.

Students can also engage with stakeholders, contribute to advocacy campaigns, and monitor legislative developments. Public education and outreach are key components, with students helping to create accessible materials and engage with media.

Throughout the clinic, students work collaboratively in teams, reflect on the social impact of their work. Academic supervisors provide guidance and mentorship, but students are expected to take ownership of their projects and contribute meaningfully to environmental justice efforts.

Students are recruited on an extra-curricular basis from across year groups and degree programmes, not solely within Law. Last year’s project included creating a guide on ‘Greenwashing’ and how citizens can challenge false environmental claims legally.

What works well? 

One of the most effective aspects of the Glasgow Environmental Justice Clinic is the opportunity it provides for students to engage in real-world, policy-oriented legal work. The opportunity to apply their learning in practice, while contributing to meaningful environmental justice initiatives, makes the experience both educational and rewarding. Collaborating with an established NGO like the Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland (ERCS) gives students a sense of purpose and connection to real-life issues.

The clinic also fosters a supportive and reflective learning environment. Academic supervisors play a key role in helping students navigate group work, identify their strengths and weaknesses and grow professionally. The horizontal, collegial relationship between students and supervisors encourages open dialogue and mutual respect.

Additionally, the interdisciplinary nature of the clinic (e.g. welcoming students from different year groups and academic backgrounds) enhances the quality of the work and reflects the multifaceted nature of environmental justice challenges.

Benefits (students & staff) 

For students, the clinic offers valuable experience that enhances their CVs and prepares them for future careers in law, policy or advocacy. They develop self-management and organisational skills by working in groups outside the traditional classroom or assessment setting, requiring a higher level of motivation and initiative.

The clinic also provides a unique opportunity for international students to connect with peers and build networks beyond their academic courses. Students gain confidence, practical skills and a deeper understanding of environmental justice issues through hands-on engagement with real-world projects.

For staff, involvement in the clinic helps maintain strong relationships with partner organisations like ERCS and ensures ongoing engagement with current environmental justice issues. It supports professional development by keeping staff up to date with best practices in experiential learning, which can be translated into intra-curricular teaching. The clinic also fosters connections with other clinical practitioners and provides opportunities to contribute expertise to the development of similar clinics at other institutions.

Challenges (students & staff)

For students, one of the main challenges is that the clinic is extracurricular, which can lead to it being deprioritised amid other academic commitments. Since participation is voluntary, there is no formal requirement to complete or fully engage with the work, which can affect consistency. Additionally, the interdisciplinary and mixed-year nature of the clinic, while enriching can sometimes result in varying levels of legal knowledge and experience among students, requiring extra coordination and peer support.

For staff, balancing the demands of supervising the clinic with other academic responsibilities can be challenging, particularly given that the clinic is not embedded within the formal curriculum. Ensuring adequate resources and support for an extracurricular offering requires ongoing effort. Despite these challenges, the value of the clinic in terms of student development and community impact makes it a worthwhile and rewarding endeavour.

What did you learn?

One key learning from running the Glasgow Environmental Justice Clinic is that managing students outside the structure of the formal curriculum can be unpredictable. At times, it feels like herding cats. However, this flexibility also allows for a more dynamic and responsive relationship with external partners, which has proven to be a strength rather than a limitation.

Personally, the clinic has deepened my engagement with real-world environmental justice issues and strengthened my professional relationships with organisations like ERCS. It has also kept me connected to broader developments in experiential legal education and allowed me to integrate best practices into my teaching.

A surprising insight has been how rarely students are taught to reflect on their roles within group work. Many have found this aspect of the clinic particularly beneficial, gaining a better understanding of their working styles and how to collaborate effectively.

What advice would you give to others?

When setting up a similar clinic, it’s important to honestly assess your own capabilities and the resources you can commit. There’s no benefit in overextending yourself to the point of burnout. Be upfront and clear with external partners about your needs and expectations and ensure that the relationship is mutually beneficial.

Establish baseline materials to help students understand the rationale behind experiential learning and actively teach and support them in developing group work and project management skills. These are essential for their future careers.

Encourage reflective practice and provide guidance on working effectively in teams. Finally, connect with networks such as CLEO (Clinical Legal Education Organisation) or SUCLN (Scottish Universities Clinical Legal Network) for support, resources, and new ideas.