2009 Summer Law Clerk/Internship Program for Law Students

The Section sponsors a summer internship at five State agencies. In 2008, the program was expanded to include the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the General Land office. The other internships are at: (1) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, (2) the Office of the Attorney General (Natural Resources Division), and (3) the Railroad Commission. The purpose of the Section's internship program is to provide five law students with a demonstrated interest in environmental law an opportunity to obtain practical experience. The internships will last six weeks during the summer of 2009.

In 2005, the TCEQ internship was designated the Professor Corwin W. Johnson Memorial Internship. The head of the internship program is Jim Rizk, jim.rizk@bakerbotts.com.

Eligibility Requirements:

In order to be eligible for selection, an applicant must satisfy the following requirements:

1. Law students interested in participating in this program must be currently enrolled at an accredited Law School. A preference will be given to law students attending one of the nine accredited Texas Law Schools or Texas residents. The applicant must submit verification of enrollment during the 2008-2009 school year. A release form authorizing the Section to obtain a current law school transcript must be signed and attached.

2. The applicant must be a U.S. citizen or documented permanent resident of the U.S. and the State of Texas.

3. Applicants must not have been or are not currently subject to any disciplinary action by any institution or entity, including, but not limited to, any education or law enforcement agency.

Questions? Contact Catherine Cox at catherine.cox@bakerbotts.com.

The 2008 ENRLS Internships

The 2008 internships were awarded to the following students:

Office of the Attorney General – Natural Resources Division William McMillan William graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Following his first year of law school he clerked for the Chief Justice of Guyana, Carl Sing. William is a member of the Environmental Law Society at South Texas College of Law where he will receive his degree in 2009.
Railroad Commission – Jennifer Chiang Jennifer currently attends the University of Houston Law Center where she is a member of the Houston Business and Tax Law Journal, and Jessup International Law Moot Court Team. Prior to entering law school she earned her Masters in Business Administration in Finance and International Business and Bachelors of Business Administration in Economics from the University of St. Thomas. While earning her MBA she worked as a public education advocate at the Greater Houston Partnership. She is a life-long resident of Houston and expects to practice environmental and natural resource law upon graduation in May 2009.
Professor Corwin W. Johnson Memorial Internship at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality – Marisa Escudero Marisa received her undergraduate degrees from the University of Virginia in English and Sociology. She currently attends Loyola University New Orleans College of Law where she will graduate with a JD in Common Law and will receive certificates in International and Environmental Law. Marisa placed first at the 2007 Stetson International Environmental Law Competition. Additionally she is a member of Phi Delta Phi and the Hispanic Law Students Association.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department – Jennifer Hoss Jennifer earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Geography from Texas A&M University. She currently serves as an officer of the South Texas College of Law chapter of the American Constitution Society of Law and Policy and is a member of the Environmental Law Society. She will receive her law degree in 2009.
General Land Office– Elise Schneider Elise will graduate from Baylor Law School in 2009, where she is an officer in the Women’s Legal Society. Elise received her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin in Government. She also attended Kilgore College where she was a Kilgore College Rangerette.