2023-24 Environmental Law Society officers include, from left to right, Jackson De Gruy, Grace Mobley, Joe Kherli, Hunter Ryan, and Michael Beck.
Being situated in the capital of one of the nation’s leading oil and gas producing states provides the LSU Law Environmental Law Society with a unique opportunity to highlight environmental law as a prospective career path and promote environmental awareness at the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center.
“Energy and environmental law directly coincide, but most of what we learn in our energy law courses is geared towards representing oil and gas,” said Environmental Law Society President Hunter Ryan, who is in his third year of law school. “Our organization’s mission is to educate our community about environmental consciousness and the roles we can play in both helping and hurting the environment.”
The student organization hosts educational and recreational events throughout the academic year to educate the Law Center community about environmental law opportunities. It recently partnered with Law Students for Climate Accountability, a student-led organization that seeks to amplify the responsibilities and roles that law students, firms, and attorneys play in the climate crisis, and to educate LSU Law students entering the legal workforce about environmentally conscious law firms. It also organized a field trip in the fall semester to the LSU Center for River Studies for students interested in learning more about conserving Louisiana natural resources.
This spring, the Environmental Law Society is working to partner with the LSU Law Public Interest Law Society to volunteer at Front Yard Bikes, a local nonprofit and after-school program focused on teaching Baton Rouge area youth valuable skills such as bicycle repair, gardening, and welding. An outdoor Earth Day celebration is also in the works, Ryan said.
“We hope our programming will have a lasting impact on the environmental consciousness of the LSU Law community,” he added, “especially as it relates to the law firms and organizations where students choose to work after graduation.”
A native of Alexandria, Ryan said he’s been interested in environmental law for as long as he can remember. He joined the Environmental Law Society during his first year of law school and served as the club’s secretary during his second year before his election as president in the fall.
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW SOCIETY 2023-24 OFFICERS
Hunter Ryan · President
Jackson de Gruy · Vice President
Grace Mobley · Secretary
Michael Beck · Treasurer
Joe Kehrli · 1L Representative
Professor Nick Bryner · Faculty Advisor
