Animal Legal Defense Fund Announces 2022 HBCU Scholarship Program

Contact: media@aldf.org

SAN FRANCISCO — The Animal Legal Defense Fund announces its second year offering scholarships to Historically Black Colleges and University law students. As part of the initiative the Animal Legal Defense Fund will award a first or second-year law student from Howard University School of Law, North Carolina Central University School of Law, and Florida A&M College of Law a $25,000 scholarship, in addition to a paid clerkship working with animal law experts at the organization. Applications for the program are available online.

Animal law is the combination of statutory and case law that relates to or has an impact on nonhuman animals. The Animal Legal Defense Fund works closely with law students and law professionals to advance the emerging field of animal law while moving toward the day when it is part of the curriculum at each and every law school.

The clerkship with the Animal Legal Defense Fund will provide the student insight into animal law issues, a purview into the animal protection movement and will complement their resume if they choose to seek out additional animal law opportunities after they graduate in a growing field of interest.

“It’s critical that historically disadvantaged and marginalized communities are invited and welcomed into the animal protection movement as animal law advocates,” says Animal Legal Defense Fund Executive Director Stephen Wells. “Participating students will learn about animal law while also becoming knowledgeable about how it intersects with many other legal disciplines.”

Each applicant for the program is evaluated by representatives of the Animal Legal Defense Fund who consider such factors as having demonstrated an interest in animal law, a background in historically disadvantaged or underrepresented communities related to animal rights, academic achievement, work and life experiences, leadership, and non-academic contributions.

All North Carolina Central University and Florida A&M law students have the opportunity to join Animal Legal Defense Fund official student organization chapters. Through the student chapters, the Animal Legal Defense Fund offers educational opportunities and grants to law students. Student chapters are a vital part of the growing animal law movement as forums for education and scholarship exploring the impact the law has on animals.