Bar Association Animal Law Sections and Committees

Note: Animal Law Sections and Committees do not provide legal advice or assistance. Please do not contact them for anything other than information about the relevant committee. If you need legal information about an animal issue please see our legal information pages.

Updated: May 18, 2021

International Animal Law Sections and Committees:

ABA International Animal Law Committee
Contact: Joan Schaffner, Daina Bray, Cailen LaBarge

Canadian Bar Association, British Columbia Branch Animal Law Section
Contact: Rebeka Breder

Law Society of New South Wales, Young Lawyers Animal Law Committee
Chair: Tara Clarke
Vice Chair: Daniel Cung

National Animal Law Sections and Committees:

American Bar Association (ABA)
Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS)
Animal Law Committee
Chair: Lenore Montanaro

To join the Animal Law Committee, please contact TIPS Membership Coordinator, Linda Wiley.

State Bar Animal Law Sections and Committees:

Arizona
State Bar of Arizona Animal Law Section
SBA Section Administrator: Lukasz Romanik

Colorado
Colorado Bar Association Animal Law Committee

Connecticut
Connecticut Bar Association Animal Law Section
Chair: Cassandra Block
Vice Chair: Jaime Woodside
Secretary: Daniel Cooper

Florida
Florida Bar Animal Law Section
Chair: Michelle Ballard
Chair-Elect: Ashley Baillargeon
Section Administrator: Gabrielle Hermesman

Georgia
State Bar of Georgia Animal Law Section
Chair: Michael Webb

Idaho
Idaho State Bar Animal Law Section
Chair: Jane McElligott
Vice Chair: Ashley R. Marelius

Illinois
Illinois State Bar Association Animal Law Section
Chair: Alicia H. Ruiz
Vice Chair: Lisa Velez
Secretary: Kristan Jakubco Richards

Indiana
Indiana State Bar Association Animal Law Committee
Chair: Courtney D. Mills

Kentucky
Kentucky Bar Association Animal Law Section
Chair: Hannah Truxell
Chair-Elect: Alexys Bardonaro
Secretary: Kathreyn Ann Cross

Kentucky
Kentucky State Bar Equine Section
Chair: Leah Wedl
Chair-Elect: Troy Breeze

Louisiana
Louisiana State Bar Animal Law Section
Chair: Alyson Vamvoras Antoon
Vice Chair: Michele R. Morel
Secretary: Barbara Ormsby

Maine
Maine State Bar Association Animal Law Section

Maryland
Maryland State Bar Animal Law Section
Member At-Large: Hon. Maureen Elizabeth Quinn
Section Manager: Angela Munro

Massachusetts
Massachusetts Bar Association Animal Law Practice Group
Contact: Jessica Rushton

Michigan
State Bar of Michigan Animal Law Section
Chair: Erin Morgan Klug
Chair-Elect: Rebecca Kristen Wrock
Secretary: Morgan Michelle Pattan

Minnesota
Minnesota State Bar Association Animal Law Section
Section Programs Manager: Jamie Banicki

Missouri
The Missouri Bar Animal Law Committee
Chair: Karima Anissa Gilbert

Montana
State Bar of Montana Animal Law Section

New Jersey
New Jersey State Bar Association Animal Welfare Special Committee
Chair: Julian F. Gorelli
Co-Chair: Emerald Sheay

New Jersey
New Jersey State Bar Association Animal Health, Welfare, Agriculture and Veterinary Practice
Chair: Nancy Halpem, DVM

New Mexico
State Bar of New Mexico Animal Law Section
Chair: Tracy Jenks
Contact: General

New York
New York State Bar Association Committee on Animals and the Law
Chair: Kirk Passamonti, Esq.

Oklahoma
Oklahoma Bar Association Animal Law Section
Chair: Gary Lee Maxey
Vice Chair: Charis Lee Ward
Secretary: Cathy Lee Stocker

Ohio
Ohio State Bar Association Animal Law Committee
Chair: Mark Bamberger

Oregon
Oregon State Bar Animal Law Section
Chair: Casey Nicole Shook
Chair-Elect: Mikalah L Singer
Secretary: Mo Esan

Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Bar Association Animal Law Committee

Tennessee
Tennessee Bar Association Animal Law Section
Chair: Jessica Lynn Schultz
Vice Chair: James Alfred Delanis
Section Coordinator: Jarod Word

Texas
State Bar of Texas Animal Law Section
Chair: Allie Soileau
Vice Chair: Christiana Dijkman
Secretary : Miranda Cook

Vermont
Vermont Bar Association Animal Law Section
Chair: Laura Fox

Washington
Washington State Bar Association Animal Law Section
Chair: Leila Marie Arefi-Pour
Secretary: Amber Rose Cognata

West Virginia
West Virginia State Bar Animal Law Committee
Chair: Blair E. Wessels

Regional Bar Sections and Committees:

Austin, TX
Austin Bar Association Animal Welfare Committee
Chair: Kelley Dwyer

Dallas, TX
Dallas Association of Young Lawyers Animal Welfare Committee
Co-Chair: Shaun Hasset
Co-Chair: Rachael Nelson
Co-Chair: Eliot Walker
Co-Chair: David Newland
Co-Chair: Fernando Avelar

Houston, TX
Houston Bar Association Animal Law Committee
Chair: Diane McManus

Nassau County, NY
Nassau County Bar Animal Law Committee
Chair: Eileen J. Goggin
Contact: Elinor Molbegott

New York, NY
New York City Bar Association Animal Law Committee
Chair: Christopher Wlach

New York, NY
New York County Lawyers Association Committee on Animal Law
Chair: Kevan Cleary, Esq.

San Diego, CA
San Diego County Bar Association Animal Law Section
Chair: Cheryl Nolan
Vice Chair: Shawn P Huston
Contact: Olga Blankson

Tulsa, OK
Tulsa County Bar Association Animal Law Committee
Contact: NA

Ventura County, CA
Ventura County Bar Association Animal Law Section
Contact: Katherine Becker