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How to become an environmental lawyer in England & Wales - your guide

At ClientEarth, we know that the law is one of the most powerful tools we have to tackle the climate and nature crises. Our environmental lawyers use it every day to fight for justice for people and the planet.

If you are thinking about gaining legal skills to help protect the environment, here is our updated guide on how to become an environmental lawyer in England and Wales.

What is environmental law?

Beginning as a way to tackle industrial issues impacting human health, environmental law has evolved into a broad, fast-moving field. Today, it protects ecosystems, safeguards public health, and regulates how natural resources are used. With stricter corporate sustainability rules and government climate targets, environmental law is a dynamic area to work in. At ClientEarth, our legal programmes operate within our systems-led approach, across four core teams:

Environmental rights and rule of law
Financial and economic systems
Resources, energy and mobility
Food, ocean and land use

Key areas of environmental law

Climate

The Climate Change Act 2008 legally binds the UK to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 through statutory carbon budgets. Internationally, lawyers also engage with treaties like the Paris Agreement and annual UN Climate Change Conferences, alongside a growing wave of climate litigation against governments and corporations.
Nature and biodiversity

Following Brexit, the Environment Act 2021 reshaped environmental governance in England, introducing legally binding targets for nature recovery and mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain for new developments. A wide web of conservation laws also protects specific species and designated habitats, including Sites of Special Scientific Interest, National Parks, and National Landscapes.
Pollution

Pollution law covers air, land, and water. It tackles urban traffic emissions, hazardous industrial waste, and agricultural or sewage run-off into rivers and seas. Environmental lawyers work to enforce clean air and water standards, hold polluters to account, and ensure contaminated land is safely remediated.

What should you study to get into law?

In England and Wales, the legal profession is primarily divided into solicitors and barristers (you can read more about the differences between the two on LawCareers.Net). You do not need an undergraduate law degree to enter either branch, and studying a STEM, geography, or environmental science degree first can actually be a major advantage in this field.

Qualifying as a solicitor: Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, aspiring solicitors must hold an undergraduate degree (in any subject) or equivalent, pass the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE1 and SQE2), and complete two years of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE). While non-law graduates do not legally have to take a law conversion course anymore, many still take a postgraduate conversion or SQE prep course to learn the core legal principles.
Qualifying as a barrister: Regulated by the Bar Standards Board, aspiring barristers must complete an undergraduate law degree (LLB) or a non-law degree followed by a law conversion course (such as the GDL/PGDL). You must then join an Inn of Court, pass a vocational Bar Training Course, and complete a competitive one-year pupillage in chambers or an approved organisation.
Alternative routes: You can also qualify without going to university full-time. In England, Solicitor Apprenticeships allow you to earn a salary while studying for a law degree and preparing for the SQE over five to six years. Alternatively, qualifying as a Chartered Legal Executive through CILEX offers a flexible, work-based route into specialised legal practice.

Where can you train and work?

Once you begin your training or qualify, environmental law opportunities span the private, public, and non-profit sectors.

Private sector

Commercial law firms offer the largest number of training contracts and SQE placements. Many lawyers at ClientEarth began their careers in private practice (working on planning, energy, regulatory, or public law) before moving into the charity sector.

Public sector

Because the guide covers both England and Wales, it is worth looking at regulators and watchdogs across both countries. You can train or work with the Environment Agency in England, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) in Wales, or the Government Legal Department (which advises Defra). You can also explore roles at the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP), the independent public watchdog created to hold government and public bodies to account on environmental law.

Charity and NGO sector

Non-profits offer roles for both practising lawyers and legal/policy specialists. Under the SQE rules, up to two years of Qualifying Work Experience can even be completed at an NGO or legal clinic before you sit your final exams. Alongside ClientEarth’s careers page, organisations like WWF-UK, Friends of the Earth, and Greenpeace regularly advertise legal, policy, and internship opportunities.

Useful organisations to build experience

UK Environmental Law Association: UKELA is the primary membership body for environmental law professionals in the UK. Joining as a student gives you access to working parties, essay competitions, networking events, and annual careers evenings.
Environmental Law Foundation: ELF connects communities facing environmental threats with free legal and technical advice. They partner with numerous university law clinics across the UK, allowing students to gain hands-on experience working on real environmental cases under supervision.

ClientEarth regularly has new roles for environmental lawyers and legal staff with different levels of experience. Keep an eye on our career opportunities here

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