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National Animal Law Competitions

Registration is open for the National Animal Law Competitions!

The National Animal Law Competitions (NALC) brings law students together with animal law practitioners, scholars, and state and federal judges to work through the most demanding legal questions in animal protection. Competition problems are drawn from real and emerging issues within the field, bridging theory and live practice.  

Why Compete?  

  • Develop practical written and oral advocacy skills around real and emerging animal law issues 
  • Advance your knowledge and understanding of important animal law concepts 
  • Network with leaders in animal law and the broader legal community 

 

The Competitions 

For the 2026/2027 NALC season, two distinct events will be included:  

Appellate Advocacy Competition 

In the Appellate Advocacy Competition, two-person teams submit a written brief in advance and then deliver oral arguments for both sides of a complex animal law case before a panel of competition judges.  

Participation in the Appellate Advocacy Competition is open to all JD candidates at ABA-accredited U.S. law schools. First-year law students are not eligible to participate in the Appellate Advocacy Competition.  The participation cost is $50 per team for the Appellate Advocacy Competition.  

Ready to compete?

Register for the Appellate Advocacy Competition. 

 

Legislative Drafting & Lobbying Competition  

For the Legislative Drafting & Lobbying Competition, individual competitors draft an animal law protection bill and fact sheet, then attend mock lobbying meetings before hypothetical state legislators with varying levels of support for the bill.  

Participation in the Legislative Drafting & Lobbying Competition is open to all JD candidates at ABA-accredited U.S. law schools, regardless of year, as are students currently enrolled in a related master’s or PhD program. The participation cost is $25 per competitor for the Legislative Drafting & Lobbying Competition. 

Ready to compete?

Register for the Legislative Drafting & Lobbying Competition.  

 

Key Dates

September 15, 2026 – Registration Opens

October 30, 2026 – Registration Closes

December 1, 2026 – Written Materials Due  

January 5, 2027 – Quarter & Semi-Finalists Announced

February 20 – 21, 2027 – Quarter & Semi-Final Rounds (virtual)

March 12, 2027 – Final Rounds

  • In-person finals take place during the 11th annual Student Convention in Portland, Oregon, at the Portland Hilton Downtown. Finalists will receive travel and accommodation grants to attend.  

 

Problems & Rules

Appellate Advocacy Competition 

Two-person teams tackle a complex animal law case, prepare written briefs, and argue both sides before a panel of judges during the virtual quarter- and semi-final rounds on February 20–21, 2027. Finalists participate in the final rounds on March 12, 2027, in Portland, OR. 

Supporting Materials

 

Legislative Drafting & Lobbying Competition  

Individual competitors draft a model animal-protection bill and accompanying fact sheet, then participate in simulated lobbying meetings with legislators during the virtual quarter- and semi-final rounds on February 20–21, 2027. Finalists will participate in the final rounds on March 12, 2027, in Portland, OR. 

Supporting Materials

 

Ready to put your animal law skills into practice?  

Choose your competition and register today!  

Register for the Appellate Advocacy Competition 

Register for the Legislative Drafting & Lobbying Competition

 

Meet the Experts 

Kelley McGill, Policy Director, Secure AI Project; Author, Legislative Drafting & Lobbying Problem

Kelley McGill is a legislative policy fellow with the Brooks McCormick Jr. Animal Law & Policy Program (ALPP) at Harvard Law School. She authored the EATS Act report published by ALPP last summer. Kelley has a background in agricultural law, food policy, and legislative drafting. She holds a JD cum laude from Harvard Law School.

Asher Smith, Director of Litigation, PETA Foundation; Author, Appellate Advocacy Problem

Asher Smith is Director of Litigation and Deputy General Counsel for the PETA Foundation. His cases include actions under the Endangered Species Act against roadside zoos, constitutional lawsuits on behalf of both animals and humans, and false advertising claims challenging the deceptive marketing of animal products as “humane.” He has previously won precedent-setting victories against exhibitors featured on the Netflix show Tiger King (and helped shut down multiple of these roadside zoos for good), as well as against major players in the animal experimentation industry and some of the country’s largest humane-marketed egg and dairy brands. Smith joined the PETA Foundation in 2018 after working for the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in New York on matters including multibillion-dollar securities litigation, anti-trust matters, and the fight for gay marriage in the deep south and at the Supreme Court. He is a graduate of Yale Law School.

 

Learn more about the NALC 

Originally founded in 2004 at Lewis & Clark Law School with support from the Animal Legal Defense Fund and Harvard Law School, the NALC operated for thirteen consecutive years before entering a hiatus in 2017. Revived in 2023 for several years by The Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law & Policy, the competition is now hosted by the Animal Legal Defense Fund. You can view previous competitions here and here.  

Questions? Contact events@aldf.org.  

How We Work

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