May 18, 2022

Keegan Bockhorst Selected for Richard J. Peppin Animal Rights Scholarship

Lewis & Clark Law School student, Keegan Bockhorst (1L), receives Peppin Scholarship for Animal Rights.

The Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark Law School is pleased to announce that Keegan Bockhorst (rising 1L) is the recipient of the 2022-23 Richard J. Peppin Scholarship for Animal Rights.

The scholarship was established by Richard J. Peppin in 2011 to support Lewis & Clark Law School students planning to pursue a career in Animal Law. Recipients are required to demonstrate a commitment to animal rights through extracurricular or law school activities, must be vegan for ethical reasons and not use any products derived from living animals, fish, or insects for clothing or food, and must be planning to advocate for animal rights throughout their career.

Keegan received his Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, in Philosophy from Colorado State University where he was on the Dean’s list for three semesters. He was inspired to study philosophy after learning about Peter Singer’s ethical writings, which inspired him to live a vegan lifestyle and instilled a passion for animal rights and advocacy. Recognizing that he wanted to use the law to protect and advocate for animals, Keegan says he chose to study at Lewis & Clark Law School to pursue “the best Animal Law education in the country from faculty and classmates that shared my ethical commitments to ending animal suffering.”

As a rising 1L, Keegan is already actively involved in improving the world for animals. Because first year law students cannot yet choose their courses, Keegan actively sought out extracurricular activities to promote animal advocacy and connect with fellow students who share his ethical beliefs regarding animal protection. Keegan worked to gain support for a foie gras ban in Portland, reaching out to over 50 local restaurants multiple times asking them to sign on to a letter supporting the ban to Portland City Council. His efforts produced responses from many restaurants who indicated their support for the ban. Keegan has also been an active member of the L&C Student Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter, regularly attending meetings and events. He was also recently selected to join the Animal Law Review as a source checker, and has already begun working on exciting new law review articles that address important issues such as farmed animal transportation and the shortcomings of statutory and regulatory protections. Through these events, Keegan says his priority even during his 1L year has been “to strengthen and reinforce my commitment to animal protection through the law.”

Keegan is particularly passionate about pursuing protections for farmed animals. Regarding his goals following graduation in a few years, he says: “All animals deserve protection, and while all causes are worthwhile and necessary in the Animal Law field, I want to work where the harm is the greatest: animal agriculture. I plan to seek employment with organizations that have as their mission the eradication of farmed animal suffering though fighting against ag-gag legislation, fighting for farmed animal cruelty legislation, and using criminal laws and civil litigation creatively to hold factory farms accountable for animal suffering.”

The Center for Animal Law Studies (CALS) was founded in 2008 with a mission to educate the next generation of animal law advocates and advance animal protection through the law. With vision and bold risk-taking, CALS has since developed into a world-renowned animal law epicenter, with the most comprehensive animal law curriculum offered anywhere. In addition, CALS is the only program that offers an advanced legal degree in animal law (for lawyers) and a Master of Studies in Animal Law (for non-lawyers), both offered both in-person and online. CALS is a nonprofit organization and is only able to provide these educational opportunities through donations and grants.