Advice for Law School Students

When I started out as a law school student, I already had a strong belief that I wanted to work in Animal Law, but I wasn't entirely clear what that would look like or where I should focus my attention. I was already a follower of the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the ASPCA, the Humane Society and so many other organizations, but digesting the vast amount of information and organizations could at times be overwhelming and didn't provide a real action plan.  Getting a handle on all of the legal elements that factor into the animal welfare space has always been a work in progress for me. (and to a great extent, still is!) However, I thought I would share some of what I've learned along the way, in hopes that future law school students, or really any interested animal advocate, might learn from my experience.

Networking, Activities & Events

As a law school student, the first year can be incredibly overwhelming, as the pressures to perform in those 1L classes can certainly lead to focusing only on that coursework, but if time and stress-levels allow, seek out like-minded classmates, early on.

Before I knew what school I would attend, I registered for the 2019 Animal Law Conference in Portland, as a student. (the student discount truly makes this an affordable experience for students! And this is a common theme... many things are discounted while you are a student – so take advantage!) Soon after registering, I elected to attend Syracuse University's 2nd JDinteractive cohort, attending classes mostly via zoom, with a week per semester on campus. I was excited to find out that Syracuse had a student chapter of the Animal Legal Defense Fund and they were sending three 2L and 3L students to the conference. This was a great opportunity to connect and hear their experiences, but also dig into the vast array of amazing topics and speakers this conference provides. See if there is an ALDF student chapter at your school and if not, find a professor to sponsor you and get one started here.

Follow ALDF, Attorneys for Animals, Lewis & Clark's Center for Animal Law Studies, Vermont Law's Animal Law Policy Institute, and all the other organizations you can find. (We will continue to update the Resources page) These groups are continuously offering events, virtual and in-person, that will give you a chance to hear from experts working in the field and provide you with further insights and ideas for how you might focus your studies and possibly spend your time post-JD. In addition to attending events, many of these organizations could use your help! Get to know the individuals there and see if there might be a possibility for an externship that fits your schedule.

Also, did you know that most, if not all, state bar organizations offer a student membership at an incredibly manageable fraction of the cost of a full membership? Look for all of the sections that interest you and join them! There's likely an Animal Law section of your state bar, and if there isn't, maybe you can change that.  Attending these meetings provides incredible insight into all of the topics that are relevant in your state and beyond and allow you the opportunity to network and understand the wide variety of focus areas in the law that come together to make positive strides, towards ensuring your state bar is active in protecting the welfare of animals. There are likely many opportunities here to also volunteer to assist in legal research and writing, actively using the skills as you learn them. For example, I had the opportunity to do some very interesting research on Nat'l Pork Producers Council v. Ross (California's Prop 12 case that went to SCOTUS) and we should hear their ruling soon. As another example, I had the opportunity to co-author a public comment on the long overdue modifications to a rule protecting "birds not bred for use in research" under the Animal Welfare Act (via the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service agency of the USDA).

Coursework, Clinics & Externships

For coursework, the ideal courses would specifically look at issues Animal Law, if your school offers these, but you likely won't be able to take this until after your first year coursework is complete. However, don't snooze on Constitutional Law, as so much of the information you'll learn there are critical to representing animals (e.g. ideas of Standing and Chevron Deference) If your school doesn't offer an Animal Law class that fits with your schedule, maybe a nearby school does or you may find an ABA-approved school offering the course online. I took Animal Welfare Law from Vermont Law and transferred the credits in towards my degree.

Other courses that will serve you well in understanding the wide variety of animal law issues include Administrative Law, Local Government Law, and Environmental Law. There is a lot of overlap with environmental law and animal law, first, because of the overlap in the topical concerns of things like large factory farms, culling laws and livestock issues, which are often propagated and managed by environmentally-focused agencies at the Federal and State levels. Secondly, legal issues in the environmental space will often overlap with animal law, in how the law is created, propagated, enforced and challenged. These courses will go a long way to preparing you for understanding where to find the laws and regulations that impact animal welfare.

Finally, with clinics and/or externships, beyond finding a law school that offers an Animal Law Clinic, you should attempt to seek out something animal-specific and the ALDF often has a great list of organizations seeking student help and the Humane Society and the Humane Society Legislative Fund often have opportunities posted on their employment page. Get creative as many organizations now offer remote opportunities. However, if you can't find something that works, the same recommendation as above applies – look to environmental organizations and the experience will be rewarding and valuable, as you'll likely gain exposure to issues of administrative law, interacting with local agencies, filing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, and otherwise gaining valuable experience to apply to animal welfare and beyond in your legal career. I personally had the pleasure of working with the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center and truly learned so much in a single semester that went well beyond what you'll find in a book.

Conclusion

In conclusion, pursuing a career in animal law can be both rewarding and challenging. As a law school student, you have access to numerous resources that can help you get a head start in this field. By networking with like-minded individuals, attending events and conferences, seeking out animal law-related coursework, and finding animal-specific clinics and externships, you can gain valuable knowledge and experience that will help you succeed as an animal advocate. Remember to stay curious and open-minded, and never stop learning about the wide variety of animal law issues that exist. Good luck on your journey and please feel free to reach out with any questions!