Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter of the Year Award

The Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter of the Year Award celebrates chapters that have shown incredible efforts in advancing the field of animal law and advocating for animals through original projects and initiatives. This award is given out at the annual Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Convention.

Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapters are a vital part of the growing animal law movement. Through raising awareness of the field of animal law at their school, they are showing fellow students that animal protection is a serious social justice issue. These future attorneys, legislators and judges will be influential advocates for changing the law to better protect animals.

Chapters raise awareness of issues affecting animals through activities such as holding events for Animal Legal Defense Fund’s weeks of action, like Speak Out for Farmed Animals Week; tabling; leafleting; screening films; organizing symposia and guest speakers; and building coalitions with other law school student organizations. They also advocate for Meatless Mondays or plant-based options in their cafeterias or at law school events, hold networking events, and volunteer at local farmed animal sanctuaries or humane societies.

If you would like your student chapter to be considered for this award, please describe 3-5 of your chapter’s activities or events during the 2024-2025 academic year, and how they helped you build community, offer support to animals in need, or raised awareness of animal law and protection issues.

The winners will be chosen by Animal Legal Defense Fund staff and will receive an award to be given at the Student Convention in Chicago, IL on October 17, 2025. Submissions must be 500 words or less, and be received no later than 5 p.m. PST on Friday, September 5, 2025. Please email your submission to Law School Programs Attorney Alyssa Crowell at alp@aldf.org. A confirmation of receipt will be sent. If you do no receive confirmation, please resubmit.

This application is now closed, check back in 2026.