A passion for environmental issues should be the primary motivation for becoming an energy attorney. Up to seven or eight years of higher education may be required, followed by additional courses that educate students or employees on recent industry innovations. Energy law is constantly changing due to the evolving nature of the environment, which necessitates ongoing legal revisions. Mining and sale of natural resources, biofuel, gas, electricity, coal, and agreements, patents, or arguments pertaining to all energy resources are some of the areas covered by energy attorneys.
Students interested in pursuing a career as an energy attorney should begin their studies with general sciences to meet the prerequisites for most environmental courses. Following completion of the prerequisites, the student should concentrate on pre-law studies such as government policy, economics, political science, and legal management, as well as environmental studies. Environmental geology, environmental history, environmental ethics, and other science courses that study land and energy are among the most popular. A Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in pre-law studies or environmental studies is required.
Toward the end of the third year of the undergraduate program, the student should be prepared to take any necessary exams for law school, such as the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) in the United States. The main reason for taking exams early, if at all possible, is to get a head start on law school applications or to allow time for retesting in the event that he or she fails. He or she should get involved in environmental groups on campus or in the community and look for internships in law firms that deal with energy issues. Many law schools offer intensive energy law programs, making it easier for the student to become an energy attorney because the curriculum will reflect his or her expertise.
When he or she is accepted to law school, the curriculum will initially follow a general path. Case analysis, legal reasoning, criminal law, contracts, and other legal fundamentals will be covered in these classes. The coursework will gradually focus on specific topics that will assist in becoming an energy attorney, such as energy law, environmental law, property, natural resources, land use regulation, and international environmental law. After completing all coursework and earning a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree, the student will almost always be required to pass a regional exam, such as the bar exam, in order to practice law as an energy attorney.