Tulane Law student was first legal intern at Arbor Day Foundation

The Arbor Day Foundation, one of the largest conservation non-profits in the U.S., is more synonymous with planting trees than the law.

But as it began building up its own legal department, it chose one Tulane Law student as its first-ever summer legal intern. Second-year law student Cassie Hemmer, who is studying maritime law and environmental law at Tulane, spent her summer working for the 150-year-old Foundation, whose primary work focuses on conservation and planting trees.

“This was an incredible experience that catered to my love for trees and helped strengthen an essential nonprofit’s position in the fight against climate change,” Hemmer said. “It was an honor to be their first legal intern and I was proud to use my legal knowledge to help tree preservation across the country.”

Hemmer arrived at Tulane as an undergrad from Syracuse, N.Y, and earned her bachelor’s in Sociology and Social Policy at Newcomb Tulane College. She stayed on in New Orleans to attend law school, because “this city is one of the most unique, beautiful places to me,” she said, “New Orleans has so many different groups of people, types of issues, and opportunities to gain hands-on experience.”

Hemmer is part of Tulane Law School’s new Utility Vegetation Management Initiative (UVM), a program that is expanding into a growing field at the intersection of energy and environmental law. The initiative focuses on changing the way that utilities manage vegetation along powerlines to make the process easier and more sustainable.

Hemmer joined Arbor Day this summer, just as it was attempting to construct its own legal department. The partnership was a perfect match for both. In Arbor Day’s history, the organization had never hired a law school student intern.

 “It's been wonderful working with Cassie through the Tulane UVMI, and she should be very proud of her trailblazing efforts in this field, particularly with Arbor Day Foundation this summer,” said Larry Kahn (L’95) who is the force behind the vegetation management initiative. “I have every confidence her talent, passion and strong work ethic will lead to a very bright future."

At first, Arbor Day needed Cassie to explain the legal basics necessary for the organization to become a more self-sufficient nonprofit. As her internship went on, Hemmer worked on municipal tree care ordinances, Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) issues, and other law and policy issues.

Hemmer also was asked to devise templates of ideas for the future direction of Arbor Day’s programs. She created a model tree care ordinance template that could be adopted by municipalities across the nation, help them identify the common legal issues facing such ordinances, and propose different incentives for utilities to comply with their Tree Line USA program.

One main incentive was to have Arbor Day help utilities reach their ESG statement goals and emphasize the environmental benefits and recognition associated with the program. During her first weeks at Arbor Day, Hemmer found herself being slightly overwhelmed with the large and broad tasks handed to her. Nonetheless, she said she managed herself and projects with grace and persistence.

 “This summer was a learning experience for both parties involved,” Hemmer recalled. “Arbor Day was able to strengthen their understanding of the law while I learned how to think creatively to achieve complex objectives while getting my first real-world experience with the law.”

At the end of her internship, the organization flew Hemmer to its headquarters in Lincoln, Neb. There, she discussed her research surrounding existing litigation pertaining to trees, gave advice on the potential claims that may arise against the ordinance, and formulated suggestions for future elements of their Tree Line USA utility program. Hemmer also explained the model tree care ordinance template she created, which ensures that municipal ordinances comply with state law.

Reflecting on her summer, Hemmer loved her time at Arbor Day and the people she worked alongside. Turning towards the future, Hemmer plans to continue her work in and exploring environmental law. She encourages those with similar interests to investigate their interest in environmental law.

 “Society today is at the point where people are increasingly concerned for the future of our planet, leading to organizations making a strong transition towards sustainability,” she said. The transition impacts every aspect of society. Companies are going to have a need for environmental counsel with these new operations. Although environmental law is a relatively new practice of law, the environmental sector is here to stay.”