Meet the 2026 Law Scholars for Change Recipients

Three JD students at Lewis & Clark Law School have been awarded scholarships through the Law Scholars for Change Program. These prestigious awards support emerging lawyers dedicated to reforming industrial animal agriculture. Nolan Ebner (3L) and returning scholar Nicole Wood (3L) have received the 2026–27 Animal Law Tuition Scholarships, while Frances von Friedeburg (3L) has been awarded the 2026–27 NEXUS Scholarship.

Established by Charles Anderson and Pamela Gross, the Law Scholars for Change Program honors students demonstrating exceptional dedication to advancing animal welfare and driving animal protection through the law.

The Animal Law Tuition Scholarships are awarded annually to JD candidates earning a Certificate in Animal Law at Lewis & Clark Law School, with prioritization given to those focused on challenging industrial animal farming post-graduation. The NEXUS Scholarship supports environmental law JD students at Lewis & Clark Law School examining the crucial intersections between factory farming and the environment. It equips future lawyers to address system-wide harms across lands, communities, and animals. Together, these awards empower students to pursue strategies that address the urgent challenges of modern food systems, environmental justice, and animal welfare.

Meet Nolan Ebner, Animal Law Tuition Scholarship

Nolan Ebner came to Lewis & Clark Law School seeking to leverage the legal system for large-scale food system and land-use reform. He views industrial animal agriculture as the critical intersection where human health, ecosystem stability, and animal welfare meet.

At Lewis & Clark, Nolan serves as co-editor-in-chief of the Animal Law Review and previously served as treasurer for the Student Chapter of the Animal Legal Defense Fund. His recent capstone analysis in Professor Michael Blumm’s public trust doctrine course focused on how citizens can hold state governments accountable for wildlife management strategies that prioritize hunting — a paper he is currently sharpening for publication. In addition to his past animal-oriented coursework, including Aquatic Animal Law, Wildlife Law, and Animal Law Fundamentals, he’ll continue to focus his coursework on farmed animals through the Industrial Animal Agriculture Law course.

Professionally, Nolan has worked as an intern for Friends of Animals Wildlife Litigation and Earthrise Law Center, where he researched and drafted policy and litigation materials. Through the Global Law Alliance clinic, Nolan has also worked on projects documenting the state of illegal wildlife trafficking across the world. He has also contributed to public comments through the Northwest Environmental Defense Center and volunteered with local groups, like the Columbia Slough Watershed Council and WaterWatch of Oregon.

“Receiving the Law Scholars for Change Scholarship is playing a critical role in my ability to pursue a career in Animal Law by reducing my student loan burden and allowing me to seek lower-paying but highly impactful roles in public service after I graduate from Lewis & Clark,” shares Nolan. “Moreover, as a member of the Animal Law community, I hope to continue to [have] deep and lasting connections with those who are as committed to positive change for animals as I am.”

Upon graduation, Nolan plans to pursue a career in public interest law, centering his practice on food systems, wildlife protection, and challenging concentrated animal feeding operations.

Meet Nicole Wood, Animal Law Tuition Scholarship

Returning for their second year as a Law Scholar for Change recipient, Nicole Wood continues to focus their legal education on challenging the harms of industrial agriculture. “My time at Lewis & Clark Law School has been formative both intellectually and personally, sharpening my commitment to become an animal rights litigator while fundamentally expanding my conception of animal advocacy,” Nicole shares.

Over the past year, Nicole has expanded their research into corporate governance,food systems, and aquatic animal law. Through the Farmed Animal Protection Project, they have analyzed federal seafood labeling regulations to expose misleading welfare and environmental claims, while also researching shareholder derivative suits to promote corporate transparency and higher welfare standards. Nicole has also expanded their research into aquaculture while writing their Capstone in Aquatic Animal Law. Over the summer, this course informed Nicole’s clerkship with the Animal Legal Defense Fund, where they conducted research and drafting for the first aquatic animal law and policy textbook.

As a 2L, Nicole also served as symposium editor for the Animal Law Review, organizing discussions on consumer protection, corporate governance, and litigation strategies, and has stepped into the role of Co-Editor-in-Chief as a 3L for the 2026–27 academic year. Previously, Nicole worked in financial compliance and clerked with the Center for Food Safety, where they supported farmed animal protection through environmental litigation.

“I have come to see animal law not as a siloed specialty, but as a nexus where animal rights, consumer protection, public health and safety, and environmental protection converge,” Nicole explains. “My goal as a future lawyer is to build coalitions across these fields to advance concrete, systemic justice for animals trapped in industrial agriculture.” Following graduation, Nicole plans to pursue a career in nonprofit litigation, working at the intersection of environmental and corporate law.

Meet Frances von Friedberg, NEXUS Scholarship

Frances (Frannie) von Friedeburg brings a rich interdisciplinary background to environmental and animal advocacy, holding a master’s degree in animal science and an undergraduate degree in anthropology from Georgetown University, where she studied environmental anthropology and indigenous land management. Her graduate work involved coursework and fieldwork focused on the welfare, biological, and nutritional needs of farmed animals and wildlife.

Since arriving at Lewis & Clark, Frannie has sought to connect environmental protection with farmed animal welfare. As an intern with the Animal Welfare Institute’s Farmed Animal Protection sector, she researched domestic farmed animal protection initiatives and challenges facing animals in the food system. She also clerked at the Center for Animal Legal Studies, researching international regulations and case law bridging farmed animal protection and environmental litigation. Prior to that, she clerked with Vial Fotheringham LLP on land-use matters. Multi-lingual in English and German, with proficiency in Russian and Spanish, Frances brings a broad perspective to industrial agricultural reform.

“Industrial animal agriculture degrades ecosystems, threatens wildlife species, and [disproportionately] impacts low-income communities that are often forced to live near these factories or work in the unsafe conditions at these facilities,” she says. “ … Meaningful change for these multiple victims of industrial animal agriculture requires legal strategies that address environmental harm, animal welfare, and human health.”

After earning certificates in Environmental and Natural ResourcesLaw as well as Animal Law at Lewis & Clark, Frannie plans to work with an organization operating at the intersection of environmental law, public health, and animal protection to advocate for sustainable and humane food systems.

Lewis & Clark Law Students: Applications for the Law Scholars for Change Scholarships for the 2027-28 Academic Year will open in January 2027.

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. CALS’ Alumni-in-Action from 35+ countries are making a difference for animals around the world. The advanced degree program is offered in-person and online. CALS is a self-funded Center within the law school operating under the Lewis & Clark College 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, and is able to provide these educational opportunities through donations and grants.