Standing Up for Animals: Can a Bad Economy Inspire Greater Goodness?
Dr. Bernard E. Rollin, university distinguished professor at Colorado State University, and Joyce Tischler, founder and general counsel of the Animal Legal Defense Fund, delivered two special keynote addresses. An exciting list of presenters joined our keynote speakers, including: Carter Dillard, director of litigation at the Animal Legal Defense Fund; David Favre, professor of law at Michigan State University College of Law and editor-in-chief of Animal Legal & Historical Web Center; Pamela Frasch, assistant dean of the Animal Law Program and executive director of the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark Law School; Nancy Perry, senior vice president of Government Relations at ASPCA; Mariann Sullivan, board president of Our Hen House and adjunct law professor at Brooklyn and Cardozo Law Schools; and Will Travers, CEO of Born Free Foundation, among many other animal law experts.Several timely topics were explored, including:
- Current animal law litigation and legislation
- The nuts and bolts of building an animal cruelty case
- Using a law degree to help sanctuaries and shelters
- Popular trends in companion animal ownership and the consequences
- International voices and issues in animal law
- Wolf protection and exotic animal issues
- Developing new legal theories to help animals, and
- Ethical issues surrounding animal-based cultural traditions
Law students attended the conference’s 3rd Annual Law Student Breakfast, which brought together law students from across the country (and even some international locations!) to share ideas and resources. We also offered an MCLE Ethics Breakfast for Lawyers, led by Professor Steve Johansen of Lewis & Clark Law School and Russ Mead of Animal Law Coalition.