Welcome

Our Mission

The Harvard Environmental Law Society (HELS) is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization directed and staffed by students at Harvard Law School. HELS founded in 1970 by three Harvard Law students who perceived a pressing need for the Law School, and the law in general, to respond more effectively to the nation’s environmental problems. To this end, they created an organization that was committed to preparing students to creatively and intelligently use the law in the service of the environment through participation in conferences, hosting speakers, taking trips and collaborating with groups throughout the University and the world in their effort to address environmental issues.

Since HELS’s founding, the field of environmental law has been ever-changing, but the organization’s central mission remains the same:  to strengthen the capacity of its members to make real contributions to the field of environmental law — and to the environment itself — in the local, national and international communities.

Join Us

There’s plenty to do! With ELS, you can attend or organize speaker events and movie nights, advocate for sustainable, green development at Harvard, organize and participate in conferences, panels, and meetings, go hiking and whale watching, and work closely with faculty to aid the the growth of HLS’s Environmental Law Program.

ELS facilitates invaluable access to other students in the Harvard environmental law community, professors, professionals, and alumni resources.

Join today!