As Flow Water Advocates’ inaugural Denis and Martha Pierce Environmental Law Fellow, Hope McLellan-Brandt supports Flow’s legal work to defend the Great Lakes. She graduated from Vermont Law School in 2024 with a Juris Doctor and a Master’s in Environmental Law and Policy. While in law school, Hope gained extensive experience in international environmental law, traveling to several UNFCCC meetings as a Technical Assistance Member of the Palauan delegation.
Her commitment to fighting for the climate continued with an internship at CIEL and a post-graduate position with Mercy for Animals. Recently relocated to Traverse City, Hope is excited to work to protect Michigan’s waters and beyond.
The team at Flow is excited about this fellowship program, too, as it strengthens Flow’s capacity to engage in important legal work while maintaining the highest professional standards, and we’re excited that Hope is joining our mission to ensure the Great Lakes are healthy, public, and protected.
“I am honored to be able to support Flow in fighting the good fight to keep our waterways safe! As a native Michigander, the Great Lakes will always be home to me. To be in a position to protect them for generations to come is some of the most meaningful work that I have ever been able to do!” says Hope McLellan-Brandt.
In her free time, you can find Hope spending time with her dog Bruce, painting, doing yoga, or exploring the Great Lakes states.
This fellowship is made possible through the generous support of Denis and Martha Pierce, longtime champions of clean water and environmental stewardship in the Great Lakes region. Their commitment to protecting public trust resources has helped Flow strengthen its legal capacity and expand opportunities for the next generation of environmental advocates.
