“Climate change is the obvious issue that we will be grappling with for generations to come, and the solutions required cannot be provided by a single field such as environmental law acting alone. Challenges like this, though, will press environmental lawyers to be open, creative, and innovative.” —Melissa Sayoc, 3L
Melissa Sayoc 3L Hometown: Manila, Philippines B.A., Business, University of the Philippines Diliman
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am currently working as a legal intern for the California State Assembly’s Committee on Natural Resources, where I assist in the drafting and analysis of legislation on issues such as climate change, alternative and renewable energy, forestry, and environmental review. I trace my interest in this field to my experiences growing up in the Philippines. In high school, my friends and I joined hiking tours led by conservation-minded organizations that impressed upon us the need to care for the environment. In college, I began to understand the extent to which environmental degradation was a real and pressing issue, though largely sidelined, in a developing country. Then shortly before moving to the Bay Area for law school, my cousins and I visited national parks and other famous sites like The Wave along the Arizona-Utah border. Seeing these great landscapes, I could not help contrasting them with the problems I witnessed growing up. Knowing that I would soon be equipping myself with the knowledge and skills to be able to effect change, I promised myself I would keep environmental law in mind as a career path to explore in law school. Climate change is the obvious issue that we will be grappling with for generations to come, and the solutions required cannot be provided by a single field such as environmental law acting alone. Challenges like this, though, will press environmental lawyers to be open, creative, and innovative. Even if—and perhaps precisely because—we are lawyers, we should not forget the broader context we operate in. If we keep this in mind, I think our clients, we as lawyers, and the greater world will be made better for it. In law school, I have learned that a lot of environmental law issues intersect with other areas of law, which at first surprised me when I used to have a compartmentalized view of things. But once I was aware of that, I began to appreciate the value of occasionally stepping back from your specialization to see the broader picture. It’s just like what they say about not mistaking the forest for the trees. Santa Clara Law is in an excellent location, close to some of the most influential private and public actors in the field of environmental law. The mix of private citizens, law firms, businesses, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations in the region also creates a vibrant community of stakeholders. Professors Manaster and Yang also provide strong support to students interested in the field. They teach great classes and do not hesitate to assist students in any way they can.
spring 2013 | santa clara law 23