Animal Legal Defense Fund

The explosion of interest in the animal law field is in large part thanks to the dedicated work of the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF).

ALDF created its first Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF) chapter right here at Lewis & Clark in 1992.  Now, over 150 SALDF chapters exist.  Similarly, in 1998, when the first animal law class was taught at L&C, only seven other law schools offered the course.  Today, over 140 law schools offer courses in animal law and it was ALDF’s Animal Law Program that played a crucial role in this development.

The history between ALDF and L&C is long and rich with both institutions acting as leaders in the animal law field.  For this reason, it made perfect sense for ALDF and L&C to join forces in 2008 through the creation of the Center for Animal Law Studies, a first-of-its-kind venture.  CALS is proud to work in collaboration with the Animal Legal Defense Fund and L&C law students reap the benefit by enjoying access to world-class animal law practitioners, scholars, and programs.  Read more about the ALDF/L&C collaboration.

More About ALDF:

For more than three decades, ALDF has been fighting to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. Founded in 1979 by attorneys active in shaping the emerging field of animal law, ALDF has blazed the trail for stronger enforcement of anti-cruelty laws and more humane treatment of animals in every corner of American life. Today, ALDF’s groundbreaking efforts to push the U.S. legal system towards ending the suffering of abused animals are supported by hundreds of dedicated attorneys and more than 100,000 members.

Every day, ALDF works to protect animals by:

• Filing groundbreaking lawsuits to stop animal abuse and expand the boundaries of animal law;
• Providing free legal assistance to prosecutors handling cruelty cases;
• Working to strengthen state anti-cruelty statutes;
• Encouraging the federal government to enforce existing animal protection laws;
• Nurturing the future of animal law through Student Animal Legal Defense Fund chapters and the ALDF Animal Law Program; and
• Providing public education through seminars, workshops and other outreach efforts.

In addition to their national headquarters in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Animal Legal Defense Fund maintains an office in Portland, Oregon.

Visit the official Animal Legal Defense Fund website.

Watch a short video about ALDF, This is Who We Are: