MCLE ThisWeek | S2 E15: Beach Season Briefing: A Conversation with Environmental Law Attorney, Korrin Peterson

Korrin Peterson shares how her two decades with the Buzzards Bay Coalition shaped her unconventional environmental law career, blending litigation, policy advocacy, grant management, and hands-on wastewater infrastructure work before transitioning into private practice at Bowditch & Dewey. She explains how environmental law extends far beyond statutes and regulations, requiring attorneys to understand science, engineering, public policy, and the financial realities facing municipalities and developers.

With practical insight for attorneys across practice areas, Korrin discusses:

• Why environmental law requires lawyers to understand science, infrastructure, and public policy alongside legal analysis
• How climate change, aging infrastructure, and seasonal population surges are creating growing challenges for Massachusetts coastal communities
• Why wastewater and environmental infrastructure projects are often politically and financially difficult for municipalities to address
• What attorneys in real estate, probate, and family law should watch for when handling coastal or environmentally sensitive properties
• Why environmental issues frequently emerge in real estate transactions through contamination, wetlands restrictions, and permitting requirements
• Why bringing environmental counsel into a project early can save clients significant time, expense, and regulatory complications
• How legislative advocacy differs from traditional legal practice and why lawyers play an important role in shaping evolving environmental policy

Throughout the conversation, Korrin emphasizes that environmental law is constantly evolving as communities adapt to changing environmental conditions, infrastructure limitations, and development pressures. She highlights the importance of long-term thinking, interdisciplinary problem-solving, and proactive legal strategy when navigating environmental challenges affecting businesses, municipalities, and property owners alike.

Featured Guest

Korrin Peterson — Environmental attorney at Bowditch & Dewey, Korrin advises clients on environmental permitting, wastewater infrastructure, brownfields redevelopment, compliance, and real estate matters. Prior to joining Bowditch, she spent more than 20 years as Chief Advocate for the Buzzards Bay Coalition, where she led litigation, policy initiatives, and environmental infrastructure projects across southeastern Massachusetts.

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Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. (MCLE) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing high-quality, practical continuing legal education for the legal community. As part of its educational mission, MCLE presents a wide range of viewpoints and instructional content intended solely for educational purposes.

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