Hurray for Zoe!
A Q&A on law, land use, and what’s next with our summer legal intern
When Zoe Morton applied to join Central Oregon LandWatch as our legal intern this summer, we were immediately impressed. Yes, she had the strong research and writing skills you would expect from a first-year law student, and, yes, it was great that she had both scientific training and legal acumen. But, we were struck by something else we saw in her resume: a keen awareness of the intersection between social injustices and ecological sustainability.
Her background—which included working in transitional housing communities and volunteering with OutLaw and the Sunrise Movement—signaled a thoughtful, passionate, and service-oriented approach to life. Check out these highlights from her resume:
Led an initiative to expand composting from solely faculty to include the student body, which diverted 38,000 pounds of waste from the local landfill.
Secured emergency housing for homeless individuals and their families.
Coordinated a Valentine’s Day visit to a senior living center serving LGBTQ+ community members.
Raised awareness for climate justice by planning a zero-waste music festival.
Before she heads back to Lewis & Clark Law School for her second year, we had one more assignment for her: reflect back on her time with us and answer a few curveball questions.
Get To Know Zoe
COLW: When you arrived at the office in Bend, you gushed about the beauty of the region. What was your favorite stretch of the drive over from Portland? And, how was Bend similar to or different from your expectations?
Zoe: My favorite part of the drive to Bend is watching the ecosystem gradually change! Portland is very rainy and green, whereas Bend is a dry, high-desert. The gradual change between the two is almost unnoticeable until it’s already happened, but once you think about it, I think trying to find it will stump you! The drive to Bend reminds me how important it is to care about the environment and how much of Oregon I have left to explore.
The high desert of Central Oregon is a remarkably diverse ecoregion. Dan Meyers
COLW: Describe a few of the legal questions or projects you worked on during your internship at LandWatch?
Zoe: During my time at LandWatch, I worked on so many interesting projects, including researching Federal Aviation Administration guidelines, electric transmission siting guidelines, how transit works in Bend and across similar cities, a public records request, and looking into suggestions to strengthen wildlife protections in Oregon.
COLW: How did this internship shape or deepen your understanding of environmental law and land use policy?
Zoe: Working at LandWatch taught me so much about how land use can change the environment around you. Land use, especially with how Oregon’s system operates, protects farmlands and forests in a very realistic way, with small decisions shaping wildlife habitats and human health for generations! Working here deepened my understanding of how small changes can make the biggest difference right where you live, work, and play!
COLW: What’s something your classmates at Lewis and Clark might not know about you?
Zoe: I love crafts and creative things! I’m big on having hobbies. I have a film camera, crochet, make clothes with my sewing machine, and read for fun a lot! Sitting still through a movie or TV show without a craft of some kind is unbearable!
COLW: What’s a value you learned growing up that still guides you today?
Thanks for all your contributions to our work this summer, Zoe!
Zoe: The importance of reading for fun. I would stay with my grandparents during the summer while my mom was at work, and we spent most days at the public library. Books teach empathy and compassion for experiences of others you can never understand, but living in their mind, even through a book, forces you to walk in someone else's shoes. Truly loving to read brought me to law school, but also still inspires me every day!
COLW: Looking ahead, how do you see the skills and insights you gained this summer influencing your future work as a lawyer?
Zoe: I see the skills and insights I learned here influencing my future work as a lawyer by reminding me to continue being curious about how different areas of law intersect with the environment. Although some of my work this summer felt like traditional areas of law you’d expect, I tip-toed into completely different areas then I could’ve ever expected (like how aviation affects where a landfill can be situated). I think this form of creativity is a good reminder of what is possible when you think outside of a traditional box!
Follow us on LinkedIn to hear when we are recruiting interns next. If you’re interested in volunteering for LandWatch, please explore options here!