Spotlight: Sarah Mason

Sarah Mason is a 2023 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.

Sarah is entering her third year of law school at Suffolk University School of Law, where she will serve as the president of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund Chapter.

What Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter activities are you proudest of and why?
Since Suffolk Law’s chapter is relatively new, we have been working hard to spread awareness of our club, recruit new members, and educate folks about what we do. This spring, along with our goal of introducing our campus to animal law, we hosted a panel of five excellent speakers who work in this field with a wide range of backgrounds to speak about their careers and answer audience questions. We had a great turnout of students who were curious about the field and asked engaging questions to our panelists. I am proud of this event because, as a group, we were able to expose students to animal law and the broad range of careers in this field. Many students have said that, like me when I entered law school, they did not know what animal law was or that there were careers in it. I am happy to share that moment of realization with others and hopefully spark an interest like the moment when I first saw a student tabling for Animal Legal Defense Fund on my campus! It was also the largest event that we have hosted thus far and displayed our ability to work together towards a common goal. Now that we have this experience under our belts, we are excited and prepared to host many more events!

Any other noteworthy experience?
This past fall, we hosted a donation drive of towels, sheets, cleaning supplies, and monetary donations to support the New England Wildlife Center. Two of our members were able to go in person to deliver the donations and meet some of the amazing wildlife that the NEWC cares for. We also hosted several “Donuts and Dialogue” sessions where we brought vegan donuts and coffee and invited students to come enjoy a sweet treat and learn more about what we do. Events like these have been paramount in establishing support and awareness on campus!

What is an animal law related goal of yours for the upcoming academic year?
This year, I want to build off the momentum that our chapter has gained. With my teammates, I will continue to bring awareness of animal issues and encourage others to join this movement. I plan to screen educational movies, such as “The Smell of Money,” and host speakers to discuss specific animal law issues. I also have a goal of hosting a “Pets of Suffolk Law” calendar contest as a fundraiser for a local animal rescue. I think that this would be a great way to grow engagement on campus among students and professors alike. I also have a goal to work with our academic affairs department to establish an animal law course at Suffolk Law. This would give students an opportunity to dive deeper into animal issues and see how they are handled through our legal system. I also want to engage with our local community through volunteering at a local animal shelter or lobbying for an animal welfare bill along with local animal advocacy groups. Finally, since the upcoming year will be my last year of law school, I plan to organize our chapter’s forms and resources and share any important institutional knowledge of our school so that our chapter can continue on year after year!

What are your plans/goals for post-graduation?
My goal after graduation is to pursue a career in animal law in a legislative affairs role. While I am open to other careers in animal law, it would be amazing to lobby for important animal welfare bills or assist with bill writing. I enjoy speaking with people from all backgrounds and engaging with them to find common ground to show them why supporting an animal cause is vital. It would also be amazing to work on writing the actual language of the bill to make sure it is invincible against bad actors who could exploit it. I would love to work on bills that help chip away at horrifying practices like factory farming, puppy mills, and horse slaughter. It is also a goal to work on laws that would give animals acknowledgment that they are sentient, intelligent, and emotional beings.

What is one piece of advice that you would like to pass on to other Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter leaders?
My piece of advice to other Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter leaders would be “don’t be shy” and “know your ‘why’.” It is not always natural for me to put myself out there and speak to people that I do not know, but I quickly learned that animal welfare is all about using our voices to help those who cannot speak. Joining my Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter has allowed me to come out of my shell and make connections with other students in my school, as well as with leaders in the animal law field who I admire. I have learned to put aside any fear or doubts I have about speaking to someone about this movement. Also, knowing my “why,” or the reason why I want to be part of this movement, has motivated me even on the hardest days. Having a sense of purpose will be your guiding light for every step of your journey and will make you resilient in the face of adversity. Finally, continuously check Animal Legal Defense Fund’s student chapter resources online and reach out to other law school chapters for event ideas and to ask how they were able to host an event that you may want to organize as well!

Learn more about the other 2023 Advancement in Animal Law Scholarship winners.