Spotlight: Jinhua Zhang

Jinhua Zhang is a 2024 recipient of the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Advancement in Animal Law Scholarship.

This award honors students who demonstrate a commitment to the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s mission “to advance the interests and protect the lives of animals through the legal system.” Recipients are actively involved in their Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter while in law school and show promise in the field after graduation.

Jinhua Zhang is a rising 3L at The University of Texas School of Law, where she serves as the president of the Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter. During her 2L year, she worked diligently to reactivate the chapter, demonstrating her commitment to animal law advocacy.

What Animal Legal Defense Fund student chapter activities are you proudest of and why?
This past year, we have diligently worked to rejuvenate the Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter at Texas Law. Membership soared from 4 to 40, and we increased our events from none to nine. We established a GroupMe chat to streamline communication about events and share updates on animal law.

I am particularly proud of our inaugural one-hour animal law workshop, a collaboration with Professor Hope Ferdowsian from the Phoenix Zones Initiative. During the workshop, Professor Ferdowsian offered invaluable insights into her research on animal testing and its inefficacies. The event drew 12 law students and was also attended by our faculty’s animal law professor, Professor Dawn Reveley. The positive feedback from students, who found the session both helpful and informative, was especially gratifying.

Additionally, our ALDF Theater Night series has been a highlight. In the fall of 2023, we hosted a screening of the poignant documentary “The Last Pig,” and in the spring of 2024, we showed “The Smell of Money.”

Any other noteworthy experience?
Over the past year, we also hosted several morning coffee tabling events where we distributed ALDF community education materials, including stickers and pamphlets about animal law issues. We offered coffee complemented by vegan creamers and pastries from local Austin vegan bakeries. These tabling events provided opportunities for educational conversations with students and faculty about animal law and the activities of our student chapter. Additionally, we participated in Texas Law’s Admitted Students Day, engaging with prospective students to share the resources related to animal law available at the law school and to recruit potential new members for our chapter.

What is an animal law related goal of yours for the upcoming academic year?
Next year, my primary focus is on connecting law students at The University of Texas School of Law with pro bono opportunities in animal law. This initiative will enable students to engage directly with real-life animal law issues. We also aim to organize an animal law career panel, where experienced animal lawyers will discuss their career choices and experiences in the field. Additionally, a key objective for the coming year is to cultivate the next generation of leadership within our student chapter, ensuring the sustainability and ongoing success of our animal advocacy activities at the law school.

What are your plans/goals for post-graduation?
Although my post-graduation plans are not yet finalized, I aspire to work as an animal rights litigator, actively engaging in animal law litigation. Beyond the courtroom, I will continue to advocate for animal rights through daily interactions, participating in ALDF advocacy activities, supporting outreach campaigns, and writing research articles on animal law topics. Additionally, I am committed to contributing to the community by serving as an advisor to Animal Legal Defense Fund student chapters, helping to nurture future advocates in this vital field. I would also love to pursue an LLM specialization in Animal Law.

What is one piece of advice that you would like to pass on to other Animal Legal Defense Fund student chapter leaders?
Animal law remains a niche area, and capturing student interest can be challenging. Yet, it’s crucial to remember the importance of planting a seed in people’s hearts. Persistence and continual advocacy for what we believe in—through our daily actions and conversations—will drive change. It’s natural to feel discouraged or lost at times, but the work we do is significant. If you need assistance, don’t hesitate to speak up. Reach out to your law school’s student affairs office and utilize the resources and connections offered by the ALDF. Additionally, planning events well in advance is vital to ensure we can secure speakers, venues, and supplies effectively.

Learn more about the other 2024 Advancement in Animal Law Scholarship winners.