Animal Law Conference will Host 400 Attendees This Weekend
Open gallery
Over 400 attorneys, law students, leaders of nonprofits and animal protection advocates will meet for the 27th Annual Animal Law Conference, co-sponsored by the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark Law School, the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), and the Lewis and Clark ALDF Student Chapter, October 25-27, 2019, at Pure Space in downtown Portland.
This year’s theme, “Representing Animals: Elevating Animal Status”, notes the challenges for animal law attorneys as animals are legally classified as property and the law does not recognize animals as sentient beings who feel joy, pain, fear, loneliness, and grief.
“This year’s conference is devoted to highlighting the myriad of ways that lawyers can elevate the legal status of animals in light of those challenges,” stated Pamela Frasch, Associate Dean of the Animal Law Program at Lewis & Clark Law School and Founder of the Center for Animal Law Studies. “Lawyers who want to protect animals have to be creative to challenge the status quo, by critically examining legal theories and fashioning novel approaches.”
The conference is focused on providing attendees concrete information regarding a broad range of legal approaches to helping animals, including: criminal law, civil law, ethics, clinics, public policy, and legislation. The conference is also an opportunity to bring committed animal advocates together to share ideas, network, and inspire one another.
The event’s keynote speakers, U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer representing the 3rd District of Oregon (subject to Congressional calendar) and Professor Maneesha Deckha, Landsdowne Chair in Law, University of Victoria Faculty of Law, are joined by outstanding faculty and practitioners in the animal law field. “We are excited about the number of CALS speakers and the diversity of legal experience they will be sharing,” stated Pamela Hart, Executive Director for the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark Law School.
Speakers from CALS will include:
-Professor Kathy Hessler, who will address “Animal Law Clinics: Training The Next Generation”
-Professor Raj Reddy and Aquatic Animal Law Initiative Fellow, Amy P. Wilson, who will address “All The World’s A Stage: Raising the Curtain on International Animal Advancements”
-Professor Joyce Tischler, who will address “Introduction To The Legal Status of Animals”
-Professor Delcianna Winders, who will address “Transforming Animals’ Legal Status Through Civil Litigation”
-Professor Russ Mead, who will address “Sound Animal Representation: Navigating Legal Ethics and Compassion Fatigue as an Advocate for Animals.”
Additionally, Executive Director Pamela Hart, who served on the Animal Law Conference Planning Committee, will be moderating numerous panels, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Megan Senatori, will moderate the Animal Law Clinics panel discussion, and Dean Pamela Frasch will emcee the conference and introduce keynote speakers.
Click here for a full list of speakers and to register for the event.
