Water Wars: Policy Development and Advocacy for the Great Lakes – This course explores how lawyers use policy, law and advocacy to address some of the worst problems facing the Great Lakes, the largest surface fresh water source in the world and the ecological, social and economic foundation of everyone who lives in Michigan. Students form teams, adopt one of the Great Lakes, and develop legal, policy and advocacy recommendations to combat a severe problem facing that lake. Their work will be informed by existing federal and state environmental laws, international treaties, the public trust doctrine and more; and they will hear presentations and have discussions with policy experts who are leaders in the field. Because the Great Lakes are so large and their problems so varied, they provide us with an excellent way to study a wide range of legal, environmental and social issues, solutions, and advocacy strategies. And because they are right here and we all rely upon them for our quality of life (not to mention our drinking water), our study of their problems and solutions will take on an urgency and relevancy that will make your advocacy better and may even improve the lakes themselves.