Oceans, Coasts, and Watersheds Project

Building on the law school's rich heritage in both ocean and coastal law and water law, the Ocean, Coasts, and Watersheds Project explores cutting-edge issues in both marine and freshwater environments. 

Recent Publications

Recent Presentations

Faculty

OCWP Fellows 2023-2024

 

Andy Archer - 2L (Freshwater)

Andrew Archer

Growing up in Bend, Oregon, Andy connected with the natural world at a young age. He spent much of his formative years fly fishing and rafting Oregon's wild rivers, summiting its towering peaks, and hiking through its old-growth forests. Inspired by these experiences, Andy studied Environmental Science as an undergraduate at the University of Oregon, primarily focusing on restoring rivers. In his junior year at UO, he worked on an ongoing floodplain enhancement project on the South Fork McKenzie River. 

After graduating, Andy transitioned to a role in the fly fishing industry, where he witnessed first-hand how drought and a rapidly shifting global climate not only jeopardize wild spaces but also threaten communities. This led him to pursue a career in environmental law. 

After completing his first year at Oregon Law, Andy clerked with Cascadia Wildlands, a Eugene-based nonprofit dedicated to protecting and restoring the wild spaces of the Cascadia bioregion. During his 2L summer, along with clerking for a local law firm, he received a scholarship through UC Davis to study international approaches to groundwater and drought management in Northern Spain and the Netherlands. Now in his second year of fellowship with the Oceans, Coasts, and Watersheds Project, Andy will continue to build upon the impactful work that the team accomplished last year. Outside of law school, he will also continue serving as Vice President of the Southern Willamette Valley's Trout Unlimited chapter. 

Max McCool - 1L (Freshwater)

Max McCool, 1L

Max is an Oregonian who grew up fly fishing the diversity of rivers the state has to offer. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where he also completed graduate-level research focused on the sustainability of fertilization practices in California citrus orchards. Prior to attending law school, Max worked in ESG consulting as an analyst and founded a nonprofit focused on the preservation of Oregon's native trout populations. Max's academic interests are primarily concentrated on Water Law and the future sustainability of fisheries and agriculture in the western U.S. 

James Meschia - 2L (Oceans & Coasts)

James Meschia, 2L

James was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. His passion for conservation stems from his lifelong love for fishing. By becoming an angler in Jacksonville, where freshwater, inshore, surf, and offshore fishing opportunities are abundant, he developed a strong relationship with these major aquatic ecosystems, which has since bloomed into a commitment to conservation--both terrestrial and aquatic. As an undergraduate, James attended the University of Alabama (UA), where he studied Political Science and English while completing coursework in marine science. He also had the opportunity to study at the Dauphin Sea Lab, where he helped researchers gather data for various marine science projects. After completing his first year at Oregon Law, James worked as a legal intern with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and as a legal research assistant with the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation.