3L COURTNEY GATELY INTERNS WITH RESOURCE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS AND EPA’S OFFICE OF REGIONAL COUNSEL - REGION 7

Courtney Gately HeadshotCourtney Gately is a 3L at Texas A&M University School of Law and serves as the president of the Energy & Natural Resources Group. Courtney entered law school wanting to practice environmental law because of her exposure to environmental justice issues in graduate school. Previously, she had worked in the nonprofit sector with disadvantaged children in the South Bronx who were experiencing environmental injustice. Additionally, she worked with disadvantaged women in Boston, MA  and post 9/11 combat wounded service members.

The summer of 2020 was Courtney’s second summer with Resource Environmental Solutions’ (RES) in-house legal team working on a wide range of issues, from conservation easements to property law to environmental mitigation practices. She said she especially “enjoyed working with a mission-focused private company, and valued the experience of working with great people who shared a passion for building and sustaining natural ecosystem resiliency.”

During the summer, Courtney also interned with EPA Region 7. This placement was Courtney’s second experience with the EPA as she externed with Region 6 last fall. During her time at the EPA, she worked on drafting pre-file packages, Consent Agreements and Final Orders, and researched various legal issues. Additionally, she worked on cases involving the Clean Water Act, Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Clean Air Act, Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans, Tribal Law, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act. Courtney said that she found particular value in learning how the EPA works with the private sector and local communities.

Courtney described how Environmental, Energy, & Natural Resources Systems Law Program (EENRSLP) classes helped with her summer work. She emphasized that she often relied on Environmental Litigation Drafting, Water Law, Agricultural Law, and Land Use materials in her work. She also indicated that her experience with the EENRSLP provided her the opportunity to explore specific areas of environmental law within her interest area.

After graduating, Courtney hopes to work in the public sector and continue with mission-driven environmental protection. She recommended that students take the initiative and pursue opportunities that align with their specific interests and career goals.