Animal Law Fundamentals

NOTE: This course is available in-person for JD/LLM/MSL students, or as an Online Section designed for LLM and MSL Distance Students only. Each section has its own course description. Check the current catalog or WebAdvisor to see which section is offered in any given year. See the note* below about eligibility for the Online Section for JDs, MSLs, and residential LLMs and MSLs .

Animal Law Fundamentals - Professor Joyce Tischler

• Course Number: LAW-449 In-Person Section ONLY
• Course Type: Foundational
• Credits: 3
• Enrollment Limit: Determined by the Registrar
• Description: Animals and the legal implications of their unique nature are present throughout the law. As such, this course takes a horizontal approach to exploring animal law: moving through each of the legal field’s classic practice areas, identifying and discussing key animal law concepts in each. In this manner, students will be provided with a comprehensive introduction to animal law as a field within the United States’ legal community, methods of integrating animal law into other areas of legal practice and analysis, and a broad foundation upon which to build deeper animal law study, should they so choose.

   

Along the way, students can expect to explore areas including legal history, common law, statutory law, constitutional law, administrative law, torts, contracts, family law, and criminal law, at state and federal levels. In doing so, the course will illuminate the ways that animals are positioned within the legal system, and highlight key developments in the field of modern animal law.

• Prerequisite: none
• Evaluation Method: Attendance, participation, short assignments, final paper 
• Capstone: Yes. Limited to five (5) students per semester. If more students apply, first preference will be given to students seeking the Animal Law Certificate.
• WIE: No

Animal Law Fundamentals - Professor Pamela Frasch

• Course Number: LAW-449 LLM and MSL Distance Students Only Spring 2023*
• Course Type: Foundational
• Credits: 3
• Enrollment Limit: Determined by the Registrar
• Description: This course presents a survey of the historical and current status of this rapidly developing specialty both in the United States and around the globe. In brief, animal law encompasses all areas of the law in which the nature – legal, social, or biological – of nonhuman animals is an important factor. Hence, a number of traditional substantive areas of law will be utilized as the lens through which we conduct our animal law exploration, including, but not limited to: criminal law, constitutional law, contract law, consumer protection law, estate planning law, domestic relations law, and comparative international law. Animal Law is an objective and logical specialization of a challenging area – one with a growing number of cases and laws, increasing public and practical interest, and with significantly different historical, legal, and philosophical foundations than most other law specialities. Students will leave this course with an in-depth understanding of this complexity, and with the necessary tools to engage further into more specialized inquiries.
• Prerequisite: none
• Evaluation Method: Active participation, short writing assignments, and periodic quizzes
• Capstone: No
• WIE: No

Notes for LC JDs, MSLs, and residential LLMs and MSLs:

*This class is for online LLM and MSL students. In-person students may petition the Associate Dean of Students, Libby Davis, and Global Animal Law and Advanced Degree Programs Director, Raj Reddy, to take the online version if they have a compelling reason for doing so: eadavis@lclark.edu and rajreddy@lclark.edu

Those students should consult the distance learning policy prior to signing up for distance learning courses.