Blue Ocean Law partners with the University of Guam’s Center for Island Sustainability to mentor Guam law students

Photo courtesy of the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability

Blue Ocean Law partnered with the University of Guam’s Center for Island Sustainability to provide mentorship, training, and experiential learning opportunities for Guam-based law students interested in environmental and Indigenous rights law. The collaboration is designed to strengthen local legal capacity by connecting students with substantive legal work grounded in Pacific Island priorities and community needs.

Through the partnership, students gain exposure to environmental advocacy and regulatory practice, with a focus on the application of federal environmental statutes and administrative law frameworks. Mentorship emphasizes practical skills such as legal research, statutory interpretation, drafting memoranda and public comments, and understanding the procedural obligations that govern federal agency decision-making affecting island communities.

The program supports students in developing a deeper understanding of how laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act and related environmental review statutes operate in practice, particularly in contexts involving ocean governance and resource management. By working alongside experienced practitioners, students are able to translate legal doctrine into effective advocacy informed by local knowledge and lived experience.

Through this partnership, Blue Ocean Law seeks to invest in the next generation of Pacific Island lawyers and policy professionals. The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to building durable, locally grounded legal expertise capable of engaging complex environmental challenges facing Guam and the wider region.