Environmental Law Section

This year the Environmental Law Section is launching our new Trailblazer Award to recognize environmental leaders whose innovative and creative legal work has improved the lives of Californians and the California environment. Read more

The Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite® is nationally recognized as the largest and most prestigious gathering in California of leaders in environmental, land use, and natural resources law. Join us and some of the nation’s top environmental officials, lawyers, and other professionals in the spectacular setting of Yosemite.  Read more

This is the 2024 Energy Law Conference sponsorship form. Read more

This month ELS is celebrating Native American Heritage Month, also sometimes called American Indian Heritage Month and Alaska Native Heritage Month. During the month of November, we focus on uplifting the history, resilience, languages, and cultures of people indigenous to the Americas. Read more

Fall is one of the most special times of year for ELS.  Every year, ELS works tirelessly to plan for the Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite®. This year, we experienced record attendance. On October 19, over 800 registrants including lawyers and future lawyers joined together for the SOLD OUT 32nd Annual Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite®. The conference brings together lawyers, law students, professors, consultants, engineers, and their families for three days of continuing legal education, outdoor activities, and fun. The Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite® is designed to hold MCLE sessions in the mornings and open the afternoons for attendees to connect with nature. Andy Sawyer, Executive Committee Advisor and State Water Board Assistant Chief Counsel, gathers volunteers from the ELS membership to lead afternoon activities within and around the park. The weather was warm, and the skies were clear, giving everyone the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. ELS even had fly fishing, mountain biking, and a dog-friendly hike. ELS hopes all participants enjoyed the programming, feel refreshed, and inspired. Read more

November 2023 By Mary AkensChair of the Environmental Law Section of California Lawyers Association On October 19, over 800 registrants including lawyers and future lawyers joined together for the SOLD-OUT 32nd Annual Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite®. The conference brought together lawyers, law students, professors, consultants, engineers, and their families for three days of continuing legal education and fun.  Thursday afternoon, the Executive Committee held its annual meeting prior to the Opening Night Reception.   Opening Night Reception The Thursday evening… Read more

The Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite® is nationally recognized as the largest and most prestigious gathering in California of leaders in environmental, land use, and natural resources law. Read more

The Environmental Law Section of California Lawyers Association (CLA) is hosting its 32nd Annual Environmental Law Conference in Yosemite National Park on October 19-21, 2023. The conference is the largest and most prestigious gathering of leaders who are passionate about the environment, energy, land use and natural resources law.  Read more

John Carter, Darcy Brown and I, along with the immeasurable help of outgoing Section Chair Kim Bick and CLA Staff Pam Amundsen, have been very busy planning California Lawyers Association’s 32nd Annual Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite, and so hope you can join us, October 19–22, 2023, at the Tenaya Lodge. There is truly no better way to earn CLE than enjoying that crisp mountain air, being inspired by the absolute beauty of the area combined with the company of the premier environmental attorneys of our era.  Read more

In 1969, the Legislature enacted California’s Housing Element Law. Since then, local governments (cities and counties) must periodically adopt a housing element, which is a plan to accommodate their fair share of the “regional housing need” in their community. In a two-step process, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) establishes the amount of housing at varying affordability levels for each locality. First, HCD establishes an amount needed for each region in the state. Second, the regional councils of governments apply a methodology to allocate the regional housing need to local governments. Read more