SKILL ROADMAP 35 · LEGAL CAREER ROADMAPS

Environmental Lawyer

Principles → Environmental statutes → NGT → Clearances → Science basics → Climate law → ESG → Litigation or advisory

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  • This roadmap has 8 steps, 5 checkpoints and 3 projects.
  • Open the interactive version to tick checkpoints and projects. Your progress is saved in your browser.

1 What this path is

Environmental lawyers work on pollution, forests, wildlife, climate and sustainable development, in litigation, advisory work, NGOs and corporate compliance.

2 Who this path may suit

The work involves statutes, scientific data, public hearings, litigation before tribunals and courts, and corporate reporting.

3 The roadmap, step by step

  1. Learn the principles.
    Learn: polluter pays, the precautionary principle, sustainable development and the public trust doctrine.
    Practise: by finding a judgment applying each principle.
  2. Learn the statutes.
    Learn: the Environment (Protection) Act 1986, Water Act 1974, Air Act 1981, Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972 and the forest conservation law of 1980 as renamed and amended in 2023.
    Practise: by charting each law with its regulator and remedy.
  3. Learn the National Green Tribunal.
    Learn: the National Green Tribunal Act 2010.
    Practise: by drafting an NGT application on imaginary facts.
  4. Learn environmental clearances.
    Learn: the EIA Notification 2006 and pollution control board consents.
    Practise: by analysing a real EIA report.
  5. Learn enough science.
    Learn: to read pollution data and impact reports.
    Practise: by summarising the data in one monitoring report.
  6. Learn climate law.
    Learn: the Paris Agreement and India's climate commitments, along with domestic measures such as carbon market rules.
    Practise: by writing an explainer on one climate measure.
  7. Learn ESG.
    Learn: sustainability reporting, including SEBI's Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report.
    Practise: by reviewing a listed company's sustainability report.
  8. Choose litigation or advisory.
    Learn: what each involves.
    Practise: with an internship in your chosen direction.

4 Your levels and checkpoints

Beginner level

  • Explain the main environmental laws and principles

Intermediate level

  • Analyse an EIA report
  • Draft an NGT application

Advanced level

  • Advise on a company's environmental compliance
  • Argue an environmental issue with evidence

Advanced professional level

You handle environmental litigation or advisory matters independently.

These checklists are for honest self assessment. They are not an official certification.

5 Build these projects

  1. An environmental compliance checklist for one industry
  2. An EIA analysis
  3. An NGT application

6 Internship direction

Look for environmental chambers, NGOs and ESG advisory teams. Before applying, know the core statutes and prepare an EIA analysis or compliance checklist.

7 Portfolio evidence

Compliance checklists, EIA analyses, applications and case comments.

8 Common mistakes

  • Ignoring the scientific evidence
  • Relying on outdated notifications

9 Go deeper

Legal Research Guidebook

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