The Tulane Environmental Law Clinic embodies the University’s motto — non sibi sed suis, “not for oneself, but for one’s own”— through its commitment to academic independence and social justice. At a time when access to legal representation is increasingly limited, the Clinic is an irreplaceable resource for students and the communities it defends.
As a former student attorney, I know firsthand how transformative the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic can be. During my time at Tulane, I was fortunate to practice at the Clinic, which ultimately shaped the course of my legal career. There, I drafted comments to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service emphasizing the need for higher dissolved oxygen levels in Louisiana’s water bodies to protect the endangered Gulf Sturgeon. This work introduced me to the Freedom of Information Act and taught me the foundational skill of drafting records requests. I also contributed to the Clinic’s efforts representing a St. James Parish resident in opposing the construction of a plastics facility in a predominantly Black, historic community. These experiences taught me legal skills I use every day and instilled in me a deeper understanding of lawyering as a tool for justice.
The Clinic has long provided students with invaluable real-world training in supervised legal practice, especially in environmental justice. It has represented communities facing immense challenges, including residents of Wallace, Louisiana — a culturally significant Black community recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Clinic played a central role in challenging a wetlands permit for a proposed 200-acre grain terminal, ensuring that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers followed the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act.
No matter what path future attorneys choose to take and no matter whom they choose to represent, the Clinic provides a valuable legal foundation to the students who take the time to provide these legal services. To threaten its existence or autonomy would harm not only the communities the Clinic serves, but also undermine the educational opportunity provided to law students. Tulane University must reaffirm its support for this vital institution and ensure its continued independence.
Lisa Diaz is an alumna of the Tulane University School of Law and a former student attorney at the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic. She received her Juris Doctorate degree in 2020 and graduated with a certificate in environmental law. She practices environmental law in the private sector.