Earth Law Center

What Earth Law Center does

Earth Law Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal organization founded in 2008 (with 501(c)(3) status since 2009) and headquartered at 530 Main Ave, Suite F, Durango, Colorado. It is the leading organization advancing ecocentric law and Rights of Nature, working to shift environmental law from a human-utility framework to one in which ecosystems possess inherent rights to exist, thrive, and evolve, and can be defended in court. ELC's stated footprint includes ecocentric legal initiatives in more than 20 countries and at the United Nations, with team members based across the United States, Mexico, Chile, Canada, France, and Nigeria.

The organization's core offerings are content- and advocacy-driven rather than software-driven. Its flagship products are the Earth Law Portal (an open-access repository of Earth-centered legal models, templates, and practitioner resources), the Earth Law Coursebook — the first law school coursebook on Earth law, published in a Second Edition and distributed through Aspen Publishing and Amazon — and a portfolio of toolkits covering Rights of Nature, coral reefs, and deep-sea species. It runs the annual Earth Law Summer Course, the Nature Governance Agency program (which includes the Sodality immersive program and the Dandelion Fellowship), and specialized policy documents such as the Declaration of Rights for Deep-Sea Species and Ecosystems. Underlying 'technology' consists of doctrinal legal frameworks, Rights of Nature jurisprudence, and content libraries rather than a software platform with proprietary code.

ELC's business model is a nonprofit funding stack: voluntary donations from individuals, foundations, and organizations; restricted grants (e.g., from the New York Community Trust); revenue from education programs including the Summer Course; and textbook royalties. Its go-to-market is community-led and coalition-based, partnering with Indigenous and frontline communities, national governments (Panama, Chile, Peru, Cabo Verde), intergovernmental bodies (IUCN, UN Harmony with Nature Programme, UNGA), academic institutions (Bristol, Exeter, McGill, Vermont Law), and NGOs (GARN, Eco Jurisprudence Monitor, InfoNile). Customers and beneficiaries are segmented into lawyers and legal professionals, professors and educators, advocates and changemakers, Indigenous and frontline communities, environmental defenders, and ocean and coastal communities.

Name

Earth Law Center

Legal name

Earth Law Center

Website

https://earthlawcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Earth Law Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal organization that advances Rights of Nature and ecocentric law globally, serving lawyers, educators, Indigenous communities, and governments through legal advocacy, education programs, and policy toolkits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Law Advocacy

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (54111), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Energy Law (BPAHAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rule of Law & Justice Sector Reform (BPADAGAB), Environmental, Health & Safety / Sustainability (EHS, Environmental Compliance CE) (EDAAALAO), Public Health Law, Legal Counsel & Regulatory Affairs Offices (HLAJACAJ)

Keywords

• Environmental law advocacy
• Rights of nature
• Ecocentric legal frameworks
• Earth law education
• Environmental justice

Headquarters

HQ city

Durango

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Earth Law Center relies on donations from individuals, foundations, and organizations to fund operations and programs
2. Education Programs: Revenue from signature Summer Course and educational programs for lawyers, students, and advocates. The Earth Law textbook is also sold through Aspen Publishing and Amazon
3. Grant Funding: Funding from grants including support from organizations like the New York Community Trust for specific initiatives

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Earth Law Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that advances ecocentric (Earth-centered) legal frameworks by providing legal advocacy, education programs, and open-access resources that help secure legal rights for ecosystems. It develops Rights of Nature jurisprudence, drafts and supports ecocentric legislation, trains lawyers and students, and publishes toolkits and the first law school coursebook on Earth law.

Product overview

Earth Law Center offers a portfolio of legal education resources, advocacy toolkits, and governance programs. The core offerings include the Earth Law Portal (an open-access repository of legal models and templates), the Earth Law textbook (the leading law school coursebook on ecocentric law), the Nature Governance Agency program (corporate governance frameworks integrating Nature), Rights of Nature Toolkit (community implementation resources), and specialized toolkits for coral reef and deep-sea ecosystem protections. Educational programs include the annual Summer Course. These offerings serve lawyers, students, educators, advocates, and policymakers working to advance Earth-centered legal frameworks globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nature Governance Agency: A hybrid program of ELC empowering leaders to make wise decisions with, for, and as Nature
• Earth Law Portal
• Earth Law Coursebook

Products and services

• Earth Law Portal An open-access online repository providing Earth-centered legal models, research, and practical resources including templates and toolkits for practitioners, classrooms, and communities.
• Earth Law: Emerging Ecocentric Law — A Guide for Practitioners (Textbook, Second Edition) The first law school coursebook on Earth law, providing a practitioner-informed exploration of Earth law, Rights of Nature, and ecocentric governance across legal systems. Sold through Aspen Publishing and Amazon.
• Nature Governance Agency A hybrid program empowering leaders to make wise decisions with, for, and as Nature through Nature-conscious governance frameworks, including the Sodality immersive program and Dandelion Fellowship for Nature proxy co-development.
• Rights of Coral Reefs Toolkit A three-part toolkit providing policymakers, advocates, and legal professionals with legal strategies to protect coral reefs based on rights, guardianship, and ecological kinship frameworks.
• Earth Law Summer Course Annual signature course providing a comprehensive introduction to Earth law and ecocentric legal principles, drawing on real-world cases, emerging legal frameworks, and on-the-ground experience from practitioners.
• Rights of Nature Toolkit (Community Toolkit) A community toolkit providing resources and guidance for implementing Rights of Nature frameworks at local and regional levels.
• Declaration of Rights for Deep-Sea Species and Ecosystems A policy declaration calling on governments and international bodies, including the International Seabed Authority, to uphold the intrinsic rights of deep-sea species to exist, thrive, and regenerate.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10+ ecosystems secured rights recognition in the Americas
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• River Ethiope Trust Foundation (RETFON)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019ELC partnered with RETFON to draft the River Ethiope Rights Act in Nigeria. RETFON, founded in 1992 by environmental advocate Irikefe V. Dafe, has worked for decades to address wetlands degradation and industrial pollution along the River Ethiope. Together they developed the Stakeholders Declaration of Rights of the River Ethiope.
• Amazon Research InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific research partner informing the legal framework for protecting native stingless bees in the Peruvian Amazon. Research documented the bees' role in pollinating food crops and maintaining ecosystems, which informed the ordinances granting bees legal rights.
• InfoNilecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYear-long collaboration (2024) with InfoNile's 800+ journalist network to deliver training on Rights of Nature to 20 journalists from 11 countries in the Nile River basin. Training focused on legal personhood of the Nile River.
• Observatoire International des Droits de la Nature (IORN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of InfoNile journalist training program on Rights of Nature. International organization working to establish intrinsic rights of natural bodies such as rivers and forests.
• Rights of Mother EarthcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner in campaign to gain 1 million signatures urging the UN to formally adopt the Universal Declaration on the Rights of Mother Earth (UDRME), which recognizes human responsibility to protect Nature.
• Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature (GARN)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization in UN advocacy efforts and global movement for Rights of Nature. ELC is part of GARN's ecosystem of organizations advancing Earth-centered laws.
• IUCN World Commission on Environmental LawcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerELC is a member and has played a key role in getting the IUCN to prioritize Rights of Nature. IUCN's 2017-2020 program included commitments to Rights of Nature due to ELC's advocacy.
• Ecological Law and Governance AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in hosting annual webinar series in ecological law and governance launched in 2019, featuring 10 webinars and trainings by practitioners and academics.
• Center for Environmental Ethics and LawminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of annual ecological law and governance courses with ELC and other partners.
• Australian Earth Law AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in co-hosting annual ecological law and governance courses.
• Economics for the Anthropocene (McGill University and Vermont Law)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in co-hosting annual ecological law and governance courses.
• The Leatherback ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Panama's national Sea Turtle Law, passed in 2023, which recognizes the inherent rights of sea turtles and their habitats.
• The Ocean RaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Ocean Rights campaign and Universal Declaration of Ocean Rights by 2030, presented to UNGA in fall 2023.
• Ocean Vision LegalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Ocean Rights campaign and Universal Declaration of Ocean Rights by 2030.
• Government of Cabo VerdeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in presenting the Universal Declaration of Ocean Rights to the UN General Assembly in 2023.
• Eco Jurisprudence MonitorminorOthersMaintains up-to-date physical and political maps in English and Spanish of important cases in ecocentric law. ELC references their resources on the Earth Law Map page.
• UN Harmony with Nature ProgrammecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerUN program leading training sessions on Rights of Nature for journalists in the Nile Basin, with ELC's Myra L. Jackson as a member of the core team.
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal environmental network with 16,000+ experts and 1,300 member organizations. ELC advocates for IUCN to adopt and implement Earth law policies and projects.
• Bristol UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Nature Governance Agency programs and convenings.
• Exeter UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Nature Governance Agency programs and convenings.
• HSBCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Nature Governance Agency programs exploring nature-conscious governance within financial sector.
• B LabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Nature Governance Agency programs, exploring nature-conscious governance certification.
• Indigenous CommunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerELC has worked with Indigenous and other frontline groups in dozens of countries to defend their rights and Nature's rights in courts and legislatures.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Earthjustice: Broad incumbent in environmental law. Earthjustice is a much larger and well-funded environmental legal organization using courtroom advocacy across a wider portfolio of issues; it does not specialize in Rights of Nature but competes for donor attention and policy influence.
• Environmental Law Institute (ELI): Broad incumbent environmental law research and policy organization. ELI operates in adjacent space—environmental law research, education, and policy analysis—with a more establishment and academic orientation than ELC's advocacy-led model.
• ClientEarth: Broad incumbent using environmental law to drive systemic change globally. ClientEarth is a much larger environmental law NGO operating in Europe and beyond; overlapping mission in using law for environmental outcomes but with broader scope and higher budget.

Direct peers

• Australian Earth Law Alliance: Direct peer and explicit partner that co-hosts annual ecological law and governance courses with ELC. AELA advances Earth law education and Rights of Nature recognition in Australia and the Pacific.
• Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature (GARN): Direct peer and explicit partner organization. GARN is an international alliance advancing Rights of Nature legal frameworks globally—the same core mission as Earth Law Center. ELC partners with GARN on UN advocacy and is part of its ecosystem.
• Center for Environmental Ethics and Law: Direct peer and co-host of annual ecological law courses with ELC. The Center advances environmental law education and ecocentric legal frameworks from a research and teaching perspective.
• Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF): Direct peer advancing Rights of Nature frameworks at municipal and state levels in the US. CELDF pioneered community-drafted Rights of Nature ordinances, making it the closest functional peer in ecocentric legal advocacy and education.
• Observatoire International des Droits de la Nature (IORN): Direct peer and partner. IORN works to establish intrinsic rights of natural bodies such as rivers and forests, and co-sponsored ELC's Nile Basin journalist training program.
• Ecological Law and Governance Association: Direct peer and partner organization. ELGA hosts an annual webinar series in ecological law and governance with ELC and convenes the academic and practitioner community around ecocentric jurisprudence.

Others

• Eco Jurisprudence Monitor: Adjacent resource and documentation partner that maintains maps and case databases in ecocentric law. ELC references Eco Jurisprudence Monitor on its Earth Law Map page, indicating close ecosystem linkage but a different primary function (research/documentation vs. advocacy).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/earthlawcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/earth-law-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles25 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Earth Law Center