The Environmental and Energy Law program is delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Christine Appah-Gyamfi to lead the newly established “Access to Justice, Environmental Justice Clinic.” We recently caught up with Professor Appah-Gyamfi to learn more about her background in and passion for environmental justice and hear about the proposed goals, scope of work, and anticipated impacts of this exciting new clinic.
Please describe your interest and background in environmental justice.
I work as an advocate and professor of environmental justice to help communities to become healthier, cleaner and more sustainability focused. I designed my career to encompass various interconnected disciplines of public interest law. I worked for several years at the Legal Aid Society of New York, helping families to avoid homelessness by securing environmentally healthy and affordable housing. I witnessed the impacts of different environmental stressors on vulnerable communities from indoor air quality to storm surges from severe weather. My clients had to navigate multiple challenges and I worked with my colleagues to provide innovative and sustainable solutions. While practicing housing law, I began to cultivate a specialized interest in environmental health through litigation, public outreach, and advocacy work. After my years at Legal Aid, I was appointed as a regional director at the New York State Division of Human Rights where I developed a background in civil rights and antidiscrimination law. I then had the opportunity to combine my interests in environmental health and civil rights work as a senior staff attorney at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest in the Environmental Justice Program. There, I led campaigns that focused on children’s environmental health.
I work within the community lawyering model to support neighborhood led initiatives that seek to make lasting change and address local legal and political issues related to environmental justice. I have always been committed to public engagement and have a passion for teaching. After several years of practice, I developed an experiential course which I have had the fortune to teach to law, graduate, and undergraduate students. My goal is to help students develop their voices as environmental justice and climate activists who will take a balanced and well-informed approach to their work in service to society.
What is the purpose of the new Access to Justice, Environmental Justice Clinic at GW Law?
The new Access to Justice, Environmental Justice Clinic at GW Law will respond to the increasing student demand for real world legal experience addressing environmental justice and climate change topics, as well as the urgent community need in our local community and across the nation. The Environmental Justice Clinic expands GW Law’s Environmental Law program offerings to include experiential learning opportunities, lays the foundation for a stand-alone Environmental Justice Clinic, and increases our clinical offerings to 19 within GW Law’s Jacob Burns Community Legal Clinics.
How many students are expected to participate?
There are four students in our inaugural clinic. As our very first clinical team, these four students are helping to lay the groundwork for the possible expansion of our clinic in future semesters.
What types of cases do you intend to take on?
Our first set of cases will focus on advocacy on regulatory issues. Students will become familiar with the advocacy process and develop the skills needed to effectively research and advance regulatory campaigns.
Who is the intended audience/clientele for the clinic?
We endeavor to be a community resource; our hope is to provide legal services for everyone from individuals and community groups to non-profit organizations and broad-based coalitions. Accordingly, students will gain experience in building advocacy skills for various situations that they are likely to face in their future practice.
How do you think the new clinic can help the DC community?
The new clinic is poised to help to address the DC community’s unique environmental justice challenges and opportunities. The goal is to provide a three-pronged approach of advocacy, education, and service on environmental, health, and climate-related issues. With roots in community lawyering, our approach will be led by a deep commitment to advancing the latest pedagogical techniques, inspiring student creativity, and strengthening the university’s ties with the neighborhoods that make its dynamic setting so unique. We seek to learn humbly and advocate zealously.
