LLM in Environmental Law & Policy
The Master of Laws (LLM) in Environmental Law and Policy (ELP) offers rigorous interdisciplinary training in environmental, energy and resource law and policy. This specialized program seeks to provide foreign lawyers with the legal and policy analysis expertise needed to address issues of pollution, toxic substances, climate change, energy, freshwater, protection of living species on both land and in the oceans, land use management, and environmental assessment. Candidates admitted to the program will pursue an individually tailored sequence of courses that are drawn primarily from the Law School’s curriculum dealing with the environment and public policy, but may also include related courses in other departments at the university. The program is particularly appropriate for private and public lawyers seeking additional interdisciplinary training that they can use to further environmental and resource law and policy in their home nations or internationally and who wish to become part of a network of graduates working on similar challenges. So too, it is appropriate for those who intend to apply to the JSD program at Stanford (or elsewhere) with the goal of pursuing research in these fields.
The LLM in Environmental Law & Policy is limited to students with a primary law degree earned outside the United States. Except under unusual circumstances, candidates must have at least two years of professional legal experience before commencing the LLM program.
LLM students are required to be in residence at Stanford during the full (nine-month) academic year. They are required to take a minimum of 35 credit units and a maximum of 45 credit units. Up to 9 units of credit can be earned through courses taken outside the Law School.
Note to applicants:
The Knight-Hennessy Scholars program awards up to three years of funding to Stanford graduate students from all disciplines, with additional opportunities for leadership training and collaboration across fields.
Applications for the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program are due in early Autumn, one year prior to enrollment. View dates and deadlines. You can also sign up for Knight-Hennessy Scholars email alerts to stay up to date on the availability of their online application.
Courses
Candidates for the LLM in Environmental Law and Policy must successfully complete each of the following requirements:
- Introduction to American Law
- Professional Responsibility
- Environmental Law and Policy Colloquium I (fall)
- Environmental Law and Policy Colloquium II (spring)
- At least one environmental course outside of the law school to be approved by the ELP Teaching Fellow.
In addition, LLM ELP students must successfully complete at least four of the following environmental law focal courses. In addition to these courses, policy practicums that address environmental issues and have been approved by the program can count toward this requirement.
- Energy Law (TBD)
- Water Law (Prof. Thompson) (Fall Quarter 2025)
- Environmental Law and Policy (Prof. Hayes) (Fall Quarter 2025)
- Natural Resources Law and Policy (not offered 2025-2026)
- State and Local Climate Law (Prof. Anderson) (winter quarter 2026)
- Climate Law and Policy (Prof. Hayes) (Spring Quarter 2026)
- The Business of Water Law (Profs. Thompson & Kline) (Spring Quarter 2026)
- California Coast: Science, Policy, & Law (Profs. Boehm & Sivas) (Spring Quarter 2026)
- Environmental Justice (Prof. Anderson) (Spring Quarter 2026)
- Startup Law: Sustainability (TBD)
Other courses both inside and outside the Law School are recommended for LLM ELP students. A list of these courses was provided to all LLM ELP students and is available from the Office of International Graduate Programs.