Meyer Glitzenstein & Crystal
Washington, D.C.

As summer winds down and we launch into another academic school year, ALDF is looking forward to meeting the next generation of future animal lawyers!

Animal Legal Defense Fund
Cotati, California

In order to promote SMU SALDF and make its presence known on campus, members held a tabling event to gather signatures for ALDF's Animal Bill of Rights, a petition to the United States Congress for stronger animal protection laws.

ALDF Staff Attorney Matthew Liebman offers some insights for undergraduates who are interested in pursuing careers in animal law.

Congratulations to the Animal Legal Defense Fund's Advancement of Animal Law Scholarship recipients! Three students received the national scholarship this year for their outstanding work in the growing field of animal law: Katie Barnett, Vince Field, and Christina Fojas.

Three students received ALDF's Advancement of Animal Law Scholarships this year for their outstanding work in the growing field of animal law: Katie Barnett, Vince Field, and Christina Fojas.

Check out the most recent Student Animal Legal Defense Fund chapter spotlight, submitted by Kristina Moen, president of the SALDF chapter at Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago.

In April 2010, Northwestern Law Student Animal Legal Defense Fund hosted "Animal Law Week," a weeklong series of events designed to educate students about the wide variety of issues facing animals in the legal system today.

ALDF wants to support and encourage dedication to the field of animal law by offering recent law graduates a free attorney membership in ALDF's Animal Law Program for one year.

While in his last year at Chicago-Kent School of Law, Josh Grant, co-director of the school's Student Animal Legal Defense Fund chapter, wrote an in-depth article discussing Chicago's ban on foie gras.

I was not able to attend last weekend's sold-out Future of Animal Law Conference, despite having planned on it for months. You know what they say about the best laid plans. Unfortunately, my dog Alec suddenly became very ill last week. When I took him to the emergency hospital, they discovered he was bleeding internally from a mass on his spleen that had ruptured.

Law students enrolled or recently graduated from law schools in Florida are invited to submit an article concerning any area of animal law. All articles must be submitted no later than June 15, 2011.

If you're in or around these areas next week, we encourage you to check out these upcoming animal law events.

As part of St. John's SALDF's work to raise awareness of animal law, we hold a 5K charity run/walk every year. On April 10, 2010, we invite anyone in the area to join us at our Third Annual Vets and Pets 5K for Charity.

The University of Washington Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF) recently hosted a talk by Howard Lyman, author of "Mad Cowboy: Plain Truth from the Cattle Rancher Who Won't Eat Meat."

For the past decade, Katie Bray has dedicated her spare time to animal welfare and rescue work on the ground. Now, as a law student, she is arming herself with the knowledge and skills to defend animal interests in the legal system.

My friend and ALDF attorney member, Megan Senatori, and I are debriefing at an airport bar after our weekend at Harvard Law School where we served as judges at the National Animal Law Competitions (NALC), sponsored by the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark, in collaboration with ALDF. As we discuss how impressed we were with the competition, law students, judges and the mere fact that such a competition exists, we can't help but recall our law school days.

There are only three days left to take advantage of early bird registration for ALDF's Future of Animal Law conference! Don't miss this excellent opportunity to explore vital issues relative to animal law and activism with attorneys, law students, professors, and activists from around the world.

This past weekend, in the dead of the New England winter, the Harvard Student Animal Legal Defense Fund played gracious host to the annual National Animal Law Competitions (NALC) sponsored by the Center for Animal Law Studies (CALS), a program that Animal Legal Defense Fund is proud of. In addition to funding the competitions, most of ALDF's staff attorneys served as judges and jurors throughout the weekend.

This past weekend, law students from around the country converged on Harvard Law School to compete in the National Animal Law Competitions, put on by the Center for Animal Law Studies.

Bob Barker may best be known as the beloved host of the longest running TV game show in history. But "The Price is Right" host is also a long-time advocate for animals and is the keynote speaker at Animal Legal Defense Fund's "Future of Animal Law" conference on April 9-11 at Harvard Law School.

Proving that a few voices can create change, Boston College Law School Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF) members convinced the school to stop using eggs from hens kept in battery cages and instead switch to using cage-free eggs.

In the spring 2009 semester, the Boston College Law School SALDF strategized a campaign to convince the school to stop using eggs from hens kept in battery cages and instead switch to using cage-free eggs.

I finally made it to my first animal law conference! After almost two years as ALDF's media relations associate, I felt it was time to schmooze with the who's who of animal law. Hosted by The Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark, in collaboration with the Animal Legal Defense Fund, it's the longest running animal law conference in the nation.

Sometimes, it's the subtle details that hit you right between the eyes. I've just returned from the annual animal law conference held at Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon and throughout this excellent conference, I felt the presence of something else... something that is new and wonderful and growing.

Chapman's Animal Law Society raised over $1,100 for a local animal welfare group with their Pet Photo Contest. The winner was awarded the coveted title of "2009 Animal Law Society Mascot."

The Animal Legal Defense Fund is launching a new annual fundraising contest for our SALDF chapters. The contest challenges our chapters to hold a fundraiser (or fundraisers) of their choice during the fall semester and donate the proceeds to ALDF's legal programs to help animals.

We would like to extend a warm welcome to our summer clerks, who will be spending ten weeks gaining valuable experience working for either our Civil Litigation Program in California or our Criminal Justice Program in Oregon.

SALDF's Tulane chapter members began their fall with an unexpected hurricane evacuation but returned to New Orleans within a week, with homes and spirits fully intact.

We are proud to announce outstanding SALDF students Mary Race (McGill University) and Akisha Townsend (Georgetown University) have been awarded the ALDF Advancement of Animal Law Scholarship for 2009-10.

We're happy to announce the launch of our brand-new SALDF Facebook page. Check out our SALDF Facebook page and become a fan today!

From visiting the sheriff’s office and asking them to enforce tethering laws to having an animal law course added to the curriculum, the Texas Tech School of Law SALDF chapter has come a long way in the short time it has been in existence.

Animal legal education has reached a new milestone with the appointment of the nation’s first dean in the field, Pamela Frasch.

ALDF received this great news from Robyn Katz, President of the Texas Tech University Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF).

The Chicago-Kent Student Animal Legal Defense Fund hosted the Chicago-Kent "Foie Gras Panel" to debate the legality, wisdom, and ramifications of Chicago's former ban on the sale of foie gras.

The SALDF chapter at the University of Houston has had its ups and downs this past year, but has managed to stay focused on their primary objective - making the world a better place for all creatures, one step at a time.

ALDF strengthens collaboration with Lewis & Clark Law School

The University of Chicago Law School SALDF hosted Animal Law Week, a weeklong symposium of events that featured more than a dozen speakers from different organizations.

Reaching out to your local press outlets is an excellent, inexpensive way to let your community know about your work for animals, and to educate countless people about the growing field of animal law.

Joining the Animal Law Committee within the Tort Trial Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) of the ABA is a fantastic opportunity for all Student Animal Legal Defense Fund members and law students.

Founded just last spring, Charleston School of Law SALDF has already celebrated some early successes.

Kerry Patton’s article entitled, "Justice for Animals: The State of the Law in Connecticut," appears in the most recent issue of Connecticut Lawyer.

People for Animal Welfare & Safety (P.A.W.S.) worked with local animal protection organizations and shelters in a combined effort to prevent animal cruelty.

Student Animal Legal Defense Fund and Center for Animal Law Studies present 16th annual gathering of legal luminaries, academics, and authors whose careers have gone to the dogs.

Panels include: Lessons Learned from the Vick Dogs, Persons or Property? The Ideal Status of Animals, and more!

Stetson University College of Law SALDF is hosting a three-part luncheon speaker series for the fall semester.

SALDF project grants will no longer be capped at $500 per semester, which means chapters will be eligible to apply for project appropriate funding to undertake worthwhile animal law projects that assist in advancing ALDF’s mission.

Animal Legal Defense Fund Advancement of Animal Law Scholarships are available to second and third year law student members of our student chapters and will be awarded based upon demonstrated commitment to ALDF’s mission.

Alexis Fox & Andrew Brighten, ALDF's 2008 summer law clerks, share their experiences as clerks and some advise for other law students.

The Ventura College of Law Student Animal Legal Defense Fund chapter, who recently celebrated its one-year anniversary, reflects on their accomplishments and activities.

Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF) chapters are student groups that are affiliated with the Animal Legal Defense Fund and share its mission to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system.

Law students interested in this cutting-edge field must be inventive and proactive in seeking out opportunities to become involved. Here are some suggestions for getting involved in animal law.

The University of Florida’s Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF) chapter members took part in a large-scale volunteer event at Rooterville, a local pot-bellied pig sanctuary.

Cornell SALDF’s hallmark event, held once per semester, is the Bob Barker Invitational Beer Pong Tournament for the Animals benefiting the Tompkins County SPCA’s low-income spay and neuter program.

The Seton Hall Law SALDF introduced their first annual Men of SHU Law Calendar, consisted of 12 second and third year male students at the school posing (fully clothed of course!) with their companion animals.

The Brandeis SALDF chapter is the first and only chapter in Kentucky, and since its inception last spring has been very successful in raising awareness regarding animal related legal issues in Kentucky.

The Rutgers University School of Law–Camden Student Animal Legal Defense Fund organized a Blanket Drive for the shelter, encouraging the law school community to bring their old sheets, towels, quilts, blankets, and comforters in to school to donate to the shelter.

During the cold and dark pre-exam stress period, when the typical Vermont Law School student’s diet has been reduced to ramen noodles and frozen burritos, SALDF is preparing what has become a school tradition: Vegan Thanksgiving.

Until recently, there was not an animal law course being taught at Chicago-Kent College of Law; the Chicago-Kent SALDF made it their goal to change this.

Each spring, Boalt Hall Animal Law Society hosts an Animal Awareness Week on campus to educate students and faculty at the University of California–Berkeley about issues involving animals in our society, the lack of protection that animals have through our existing laws, and how we can promote the humane treatment of animals.

Thomas M. Cooley Law School Forms the Nation’s 100th Student Chapter of the Animal Legal Defense Fund while ALDF Attorneys Advise on Local Dog Fighting Case

Tamara McElyrea, vice president of Thomas M. Cooley Law School SALDF chapter discusses why animal law is here to stay.

The SALDF chapter at Quinnipiac University School of Law recently gained some community recognition through efforts on behalf of Connecticut S.B. 284, a bill pending in the Connecticut state legislature that would allow judges to issue orders of protections for animals in domestic violence situations.

The University of Washington SALDF, along with the UW Center for Human Rights and Justice and the Latin@ Law Student Association hosted a forum on the social costs of factory farms.

Members of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF) at the University of Texas at Austin School of Law hosted their first annual "Picture Yourself With Santa" charity event.

In February, law students from all over the country competed at the fourth annual National Animal Advocacy Competitions (NAAC) at Harvard Law School.

The University of Victoria School of Law's second annual conference on animal rights and the law left attendees craving more.

With the help of a $1 million grant to Northwestern University School of Law by Bob Barker, SALDF members laid the groundwork for an Animal Legal Protection Clinic.

Animal Law is being taught this spring for the first time at The University of Texas School of Law thanks to the school's SALDF members.

The process of applying for a Student Animal Legal Defense Fund grant for your chapter is discussed on this page.

Selecting a law school to attend is a critical decision for future animal attorneys. ALDF offers these tips to finding the school that's right for you.