Following President Donald Trump’s inauguration, James Vinch, senior attorney at the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and adjunct professor at Miami University, received an email. It said he would have to return to Washington D.C. or give up his role at the EPA.
The email was the result of an order by President Trump that cut down on remote work by requiring federal workers to be in the office five days a week. Despite over 20 years at the EPA and a love for his work there, Vinch decided to remain in Oxford.
A leap of faith
When Vinch decided to leave his corporate law job at the Columbus office of Dinsmore & Shohl – a big law firm headquartered in Cincinnati – and return to school, his colleagues thought he was making a terrible decision.
However, Vinch was not satisfied with the corporate law environment. He wondered what he did to help people’s lives. He was living a split life – one as a corporate lawyer and another as a lover of the outdoors who spent his time hiking, backpacking and cycling.
A trip to New Mexico prompted him to explore combining his passion and work. So, he quit his job, sold his house and moved from Ohio to Washington, D.C., to get a master’s in environmental law from George Washington University.
This opened doors for him in the federal work sphere, leading to a position in the nation’s capital at the EPA.
“It was a really hard decision, but in retrospect it was the best decision I ever made,” Vinch said. “Because now I’m doing something that I’m completely passionate about. The last 20 years of working for EPA has just been fantastic.”
Vinch specializes in enforcing the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Act. He said this work is much more fulfilling, as it allows him to help improve people’s lives – some of whom are deprived of basic sanitation.
Working under the Trump administration
While at the EPA, Vinch experienced shifts in presidential administration several times. However, he says that as an attorney most of these shifts felt inconsequential – until the Trump administration. He said it became challenging to carry out work at the EPA as usual.
Vinch said a second term has again slowed work at the EPA. He also said he and his colleagues received emails that Elon Musk sent to federal workers, calling their work unproductive and suggesting they would be better off in the private sector.
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“They’re just indiscriminately cutting federal programs with a meat axe,” he said. “Not with a scalpel.”
Vinch said the consequences of gutting federal programs, such as the EPA, will take a while to feel – but are on the horizon.
Optimism for the next generation
Despite these recent career hardships, Vinch said he is optimistic about the future for young people. He said he believes the next generation, looking for careers and opportunities, will be able to step in and help solve complex environmental and legal problems.
Nicolas Hollander, a second year law student at Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law and former student of Vinch’s, says he and his classmates have been challenged and asked what they think of current issues in the legal world.
“I think the conclusion of our class was very much that part of being a lawyer is you’re able to promote change – be it slow – but case by case, client by client,” he said.
Hollander said he was disappointed to hear about Vinch having to leave the EPA. He says Vinch was passionate about his work there, and is someone who has inspired him.
Giving the new generation the guidance and resources they need to fix today’s problems has been a big factor in Vinch’s decision to lean into his role as a professor. He also has fond memories of the university, as a member of the class of 1984.
“I remembered how awesome my Miami days were, and I felt like I really needed to give back to Miami,” he said.
Callaway Chapman, a first year law student at Washington University, also said her experience as a student and undergraduate assistant in his classes at Miami helped prepare her for law school by improving her case briefs and public speaking skills. Chapman said she often reaches out as she navigates law school.
“He has become like a mentor,” she said.
Reconnecting with the community
As well as the university, Vinch holds a love for the City of Oxford. He says the strong community feel has been a nice change of pace from the bustling environment of D.C. Along with teaching, Vinch said he plans to run for city council, where he can increase his community involvement and exercise his passion for policy. He currently serves on the city’s board of environmental commission, but said the council position would allow him to do more.
Luke Rose, a sophomore political science major at Miami, said he’s excited about Vinch’s increased role in the Oxford and Miami communities. After taking Water Resources Law and Policy, HON 380 – now IES 469/569 – with him, Rose said he hopes to enroll in Vinch’s environmental law class next year.
“I’d heard about him sort of pivoting into a teaching role, so I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to experience at least some of that before I graduate,” Rose said.
Environmental law is a potential route for Rose as he applies to law school. Although he said he felt discouraged in the weeks after President Trump’s inauguration, he feels there is still work to be done – even if he has to do it at the state or nonprofit level.
“There are still laws on the books that need to be enforced,” Rose said. “And then there’s obviously a ton of public interest work out there to help the environment in other ways.”
Although his time in environmental law at the EPA is ending, Vinch is still passionate about the field and encourages students to pursue environmental careers.
“I can’t even put a price tag on it,” he said. “It’s worth way more to me than the money that they paid me to do the job.”
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