Three practicing attorneys share their paths with students
—By Jason Finkelstein
The desire to protect natural resources and save the environment is not just a noble cause. It can also be a viable starting point for a legal career.
USC Law students heard first-hand from several attorneys who practice in the field of environmental law during a Nov. 18 panel sponsored by the Career Services Office and the Environmental Law Society.
John Holloway, of counsel at Best Best & Krieger, moderated the session that also included BB&K Partner Jill Willis, Nicole Hoeksma ’05 of Sohagi Law Group, and Fred Pfaeffle ’89, principal deputy county counsel for Los Angeles County.
Each of the attorneys present took a different path to find their niche in environmental law.
For Hoeskma that journey went through USC Law. A 2005 graduate, Hoeksma actually found her job through Land Use Law Professor Margaret Sohagi. Hoeksma interned with Sohagi during her final semester at USC and accepted her current position at Sohagi’s firm just before taking the bar.
Hoeksma works only with public agencies, and her firm specializes in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines. She also is involved with a number of land use projects, including the expansion of Los Angeles International Airport.
Hoeksma was asked about the pros and cons of practicing at a boutique firm.
“The drawback is you are not exposed to as many partners or styles of practice as you would be at a larger firm,” Hoeksma said. “The benefit that I see is that it’s much more reasonable, from the hours to the way people communicate and the willingness of everybody to jump in and help each other out.”
Pfaeffle, a 1989 USC Law graduate, did not find his passion right away.
Pfaeffle first worked at a large firm, where he handled transactional and real estate matters. In handling property acquisitions, Pfaeffle grew familiar with the environmental and land use statutes.
He then transitioned into public agency work in order to spend more time at home with his single mother, who was still raising several children. He found he enjoyed the projects he was working on.
One such project is controlling storm water runoff, which can pick up litter, animal waste and other pollutants before going straight into the ocean. Pfaeffle has worked to balance the desire to control floods using storm drains with the hazards of ocean pollution.
Willis, meanwhile, knew she wanted to work in some type of environmental law setting, but spent many years trying to find the right fit.
After clerking for a judge in Alabama, finding a position at a firm in San Diego, going to Washington to work on EPA rules, and becoming a staff attorney for a federal court, she finally found her current position with BB&K.
With each career change, Willis homed in on exactly what she wanted to do. At one point she was working on matters related to toxins and pollution. Then she moved into regulation before realizing she wanted to focus on resources.
In her current position, Willis deals mostly with water rights matters. When several parties want to use a finite water supply, Willis helps them come to an agreement for how to manage the resource going forward.
Willis emphasized that she is satisfied with her career path. She said she found it better to change careers many times to find the job she truly wanted.
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