New York City Environmental Law Leadership Institute

NYCELLI is an annual seminar for a select group of junior environmental attorneys committed to leadership in the field and making a positive contribution to the City’s environment. The Institute is designed to inform, equip, and inspire new attorneys to take on key roles in improving the quality of New York City’s environment and the health of its residents.

What NYCELLI Participants Do

Connect

Learn about the issues, history and trends in environmental law in New York City, connect with the City’s network of environmental law practitioners, agencies and organizations, and engage in collaborative dialogue to address the City’s environmental challenges.

new york city green

Explore

Explore the special physical, social and economic dynamics of the urban environment, the relationships between sources of law and jurisdictions and the potential for solving environmental problems through law and policy.

Contextualize

Put the course material into context and get a close-up view of the City’s environmental landscape. The program complements the classroom experience with several tours of environmentally significant sites throughout the City.

Collaborate

As an opportunity to serve and to develop leadership, participants collaborate to create projects aimed at improving the New York City environment.

Testimonials

Shijuade Kadree

As a non-native New Yorker, it was really important for me to have a better understanding of the environmental history of the city and its most pressing issues, so that I can determine when, where and how to make my mark on this landscape. I particularly appreciated the opportunity that NYCELLI provides to work with such experienced, savvy and driven like-minded environmental advocates who are also working towards achieving environmental justice in Gotham City. I truly enjoyed every session (and not just the good food!).

Cullen Howe

NYCELLI is the premiere environmental leadership organization in New York City. After taking the course, I felt I was plugged in to the city’s environmental legal community. I have developed strong friendships with many participants and have made connections with many prominent environmental professionals. NYCELLI is a great program and I recommend it to any new attorneys who are looking to broaden their knowledge of New York City-related environmental issues and make connections in the field.

Miranda Massie

NYCELLI is an invaluable resource for new environmental attorneys in terms of substance and dynamism of the coursework and the chance to meet both new practitioners and the City’s most accomplished environmental lawyers. It has been very useful to my practice and I remain extremely grateful to have been a participant.

Matthew Blaisdell

This is the ideal venue for bringing together a diverse group of attorneys early in their environmental careers and creating a durable network with the potential to influence the environmental landscape of New York City. The format provides a great overview of issues facing the City, dives into the issues, and forces you to really think about how you can play a role in improving some aspect of this landscape. And its just a great group of people.

Hayden S. Baker

NYCELLI provides a forum for the City’s seasoned environmental lawyers to share the lessons they’ve learned with the next generation. It also brings together those attorneys working to solve the pressing environmental problems that face the City today. With the benefits of this networking and these lessons learned, each NYCELLI class graduates better prepared to help craft practical solutions for the environmental challenges the City will encounter in the years ahead.