You are reading this column in the first days of 2024. This might be an apt opportunity in the "environmental practice" column to consider what we environmental lawyers ought to resolve to do to elevate our practices in the new year. My observations are no more profound than anyone else's. But as I begin my fifth decade in this line of work, I feel at least moderately comfortable playing the grizzled—but I hope not yet hoary—veteran.

• Remember that the "lawyer" part is fundamental.

You cannot be a good environmental lawyer without being a good lawyer. We often tell ourselves that we are different from regular lawyers. We belong to a special "secret handshake" practice that marries legal understanding and scientific and technical learning in a way that people outside the guild cannot. Even if that were true—and it is surely a controversial assertion—we would conduct our business better if we were better lawyers. Indeed, I have a litigator friend who often says that "environmental lawyer" is an oxymoron because in his experience "environmental" lawyers exhibit such poor advocacy skills.