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.This year, our theme is Frontlines of the Future, and we will be showcasing the innovators and change-makers who are writing the blueprints today necessary for a more sustainable, prosperous tomorrow. Attendees will hear from leading environmental lawyers, scholars, entrepreneurs, politicians, activists, and executives. In addition, there will be several networking and social events, including volunteer trips with local non-profit partners and the first-ever Summit Soiree.TELS is entirely student-run and free to attend. CLE accreditation is available for practicing lawyers and attorneys....
Registration is now open! Please click the link below to secure your tickets!

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Registration

The Summit is entirely student-run and free to attend. Students, attorneys, and the general public are all welcome. You can register below or directly on our Luma page.If you are travelling from out of town, we recommend staying at Hotel St. Pierre. Please call (504) 524-4401 to reserve a room and mention Tulane Environmental Law Summit to access preferred rates. Shuttles will be available to transport attendees to Tulane Law School.Continuing Legal Education (CLE) accreditation is available for purchase for practicing lawyers and attorneys. Early bird pricing is available until January 23, 2026. Please use code "TELS26" for 26% off your registration fee!CLE Pricing: $350 for attorneys and $175 for non-profit/government attorneys.Note for CLE attendees: you must register through Luma, and then use our secure payment link to purchase CLE tickets.We hope you'll join us in the beautiful city of New Orleans for the 31st edition of this historic event. Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions.

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 one of the longest-running student-organized environmental law conferences in the United States. Generations of law students have stewarded TELS through events like Hurricane Katrina and COVID-19 and continued the rich tradition and resilience of environmental law education at Tulane University.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 team

Executive board

Advisors & Deputies

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.

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coming soon

TELS Schedule

Please check back soon and follow us on social media for upcoming speakers and schedule announcements! Subscribe to our Luma Calendar below to be notified once it's released.

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welcome to the official

tulane environmental law & Policy Summit archive

Welcome to the official TELS time machine! We've found as many old programs and posters as we can, and reprinted them here as a testament to the enduring nature of Tulane's Environmental Law program and the students who have stewarded this Summit throughout the years. It's a bit of a work in progress, so please excuse the gaps as we build out this page.PS — If you have copies of old programs or posters from years past, please share them with our team at [email protected]!

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.

• Make a Donation
• Become a Sponsor