The 31st Annual
Tulane Environmental Law & Policy Summit
Since 1996, the Tulane Environmental Law & Policy Summit (TELS) has promoted dialogue between generations of students, attorneys, academics, and activists regarding the most pressing environmental law issues facing the Gulf South and beyond.TELS is entirely student-run and free to attend. CLE accreditation is available for practicing lawyers and attorneys....
SAVE THE DATE: March 5-7, 2026. Please subscribe to our Luma Calendar below to be notified when registration opens.
Since 1996
One of the longest-running student-led conferences
Held annually in New Orleans, TELS brings together legal scholars, practitioners, activists, and community leaders to address pressing environmental issues such as climate change, environmental justice, and disaster resilience. Entirely student-run and free to the public, it has been recognized by the American Bar Association as the top student-led environmental law conference.
Save the Date
March 5-7, 2026
Registration and the full schedule will soon be available. Please subscribe to our Luma calendar below to receive the latest updates.Attendees will hear pitches from and participate in workshops with the region’s leading lawyers, scholars, entrepreneurs, politicians, activists, and executives. Outside the classroom, we will keep folks busy with networking and social events, including volunteer trips with local non-profit partners and the first-ever TELS Gala!
About the summit
Tulane’s Environmental Law & Policy Summit — hosted annually in collaboration with the Environmental & Energy Law Society at Tulane University Law School — has been held for nearly three decades. First launched in 1996, it has grown into the longest-running student-organized environmental law conference in the United States. Originally designed to bring together law students, legal professionals, academics, policymakers, and community voices to discuss pressing environmental challenges, the summit consistently showcases panels on topics ranging from wildlife protection and renewable energy to disaster preparedness and environmental justice. Its prominence was recognized by the American Bar Association, which awarded it for excellence in student-led environmental programming.
Meet the Executive board
We’re thrilled to introduce the board behind the 2026 Summit, a dynamic team of rising 2Ls ready to bring fresh energy and forward-thinking leadership. We will also be working closely with the board of Tulane's Environmental Law & Energy Society (EELS) and our faculty advisors at the Water Law Institute.
Executive Director: Alexander LeFebvre
Programs Director: Billy Hennessy
Events Director: Camilla Stapleton
Creative Director: Lindsey Weinstein
Finance Chair: Payton Doyal
Fundraising Chair: John Miller Edwards
Operations Chair: Isabell Dodge
Education Chair: Kaylee Bowers
EELS Advisor: Cade Cushman
Environmental law at tulane
Tulane University Law School has been a leader in environmental and energy legal education since 1979, leveraging its Gulf Coast location to address complex environmental, economic, and regulatory issues. Students can pursue a Certificate of Concentration in Environmental Law, an LL.M. in Energy & Environmental Law, or an online Master of Jurisprudence in Environmental Law, supported by a curriculum that blends foundational courses like Administrative Law and Natural Resources with numerous electives.Experiential learning is central to the program, particularly through the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic — one of the nation’s largest — where students act as supervised attorneys in cases involving pollution control, wetlands protection, and environmental justice. The school’s specialized centers, including the Center for Environmental Law and the Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law & Policy, foster interdisciplinary research and community engagement.Student opportunities extend to the Environmental & Energy Law Society, which co-hosts the long-running Environmental Law & Policy Summit, and the Tulane Environmental Law Journal, consistently ranked among the top environmental law publications. Together, these resources provide students with a rigorous, practice-oriented education that connects academic study with real-world environmental advocacy.
CALL FOR SPEAKERS
now accepting speaker proposals!
This form below is for professionals interested in presenting a panel or workshop at the 31st Annual Tulane Environmental Law & Policy Summit, taking place from March 5-7, 2026. Submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis.Please note that while TELS can cover limited travel expenses and accommodations for out-of-town speakers, we are unable to offer speaking fees. Submissions will be evaluated by TELS directors to determine if the submission aligns with the Summit's objectives and restraints. We reserve the right to accept, modify, and reject all submissions subject to the Summit's discretion.Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions. Thank you for your interest!
Join our krewe
Become a Sponsor
As an entirely student-led and funded event, none of this is possible without an incredible group of dedicated financial and in-kind sponsors.We are offering three sponsorship tiers that each come with a number of exclusive benefits for you and your team. Please reach out to [email protected] to inquire about becoming a sponsor.If you would rather make a tax-deductible donation, you also do so using the donation link below.
