Florida Bar Animal Law Committee Gains Section Status

The profile of animal law in Florida has received a boost with the Florida Bar approving an Animal Law Section to represent the growing specialty.

The new section, an outgrowth of the Florida Bar’s Animal Law Committee, which formed in 2004, went into effect July 1, 2016. Organizers seeking section status were backed by more than 1,000 attorneys who expressed interest in joining. Benefits of joining a section include opportunities to receive information and education about a particular area of the law and to meet attorneys with similar interests.

Bar sections are more influential than committees because the former can weigh in on state legislation, so this is a great step forward for animal law in the Sunshine State.

Further reading:

• Lade, Diane C., “New Florida Bar section boosts animal law,” South Florida Sun-Sentinel, April 11, 2016.
• Phaneuf, Taryn, “With new section, Florida sees greater interest in animal law; Creatures are considered family members, attorney says,”Florida Record, May 10, 2016.
• The Animal Legal Defense Fund maintains a list of Bar Association Animal Law Sections and Committees. If your state does not have animal law section or committee, ALDF can help! Contact: alp@aldf.org.