Mallory Lizana

“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what difference you want to make.”

Mallory is driven by a catalyst for change, aspiring to make a difference in the legal realms of animal welfare and the preservation of the natural world. Through engagement in reshaping laws and regulations, her aim is to cultivate a world of equality, compassion and understanding, with impacts resonating on both national and global scales.

In 2019, Mallory earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, followed by her Juris Doctorate from Florida State University in 2021. While at FSU she served in prominent leadership roles within her Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter and was an active volunteer with Pets ad Litem, a local group comprised of advocates committed to giving animals a legal voice. Collaborating closely with the deans of FSU, she achieved a significant milestone by pioneering the law school’s second-ever animal law course, “Litigation, Legislation & Policy.” This course remains an integral part of the curriculum to this day.

From 2020 to 2021, Mallory undertook a role as a law clerk for the Animal Legal Defense Fund, spearheading a series of initiatives aimed at crafting new resources for the organization. Throughout that period, she curated data to produce a comprehensive resource which cataloged shelters that offer accommodations to pets and their owners seeking refuge from domestic violence situations. Additionally, she created a roster of programs that extend financial assistance for veterinary expenses to pet owners facing financial constraints.

In the spring of 2021, Mallory was a recipient of the Advancement of Animal Law Scholarship from the Animal Legal Defense Fund.

Mallory has had her work published in both the Florida Bar Journal and the Animal Law Section of the Florida Bar’s ‘Paw Review’ Journal. Her two most recent articles can be read here and here

Today, Mallory volunteers her time as a member of the Animal Law Section of the Florida Bar. She enjoys writing as well as hiking and camping with her husband and their two corgis.