Animal Law in Action

The Brooks Institute’s Fourth Annual Animal Law Student Summit, recently held at New York University, convened over fifty participants for a weekend of community building. The Brooks Institute structures this summit around students, and this year’s participants came from a diverse range of academic backgrounds, including law, science, religion, and veterinary studies. There were also several working professionals, academics, and advocates in attendance. The event was a collaborative and collegial affair that allowed participants to explore various topics in animal law and animal studies, and foster connections within the community. The Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law & Policy generously supported the attendance of several Lewis & Clark Law animal law faculty and animal law student leaders at this event.

The summit was preceded by a public event hosted by the NYU Wild Animal Welfare Program on Friday, November 14, 2025. The summit then kicked off on Saturday morning with a light breakfast and coffee social. At around 9:30 am, Jeff Sebo, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at New York University and Becca Franks, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at New York University, officially began the day’s events. They provided an overview of the summit’s now four-year history and its purpose to create an “unconference” affair where students would be given an informal opportunity to collaborate with one another while seeking the perspectives of current activists and change-makers working in the community. This year set a record for number of attendees.

To set the tone, all participants introduced themselves by providing their name, affiliation, and interest or area of animal advocacy, so that attendees with overlapping interests could find each other to converse throughout the day. Representatives from attending institutions then presented updates on each of their organizations. Attending institutions included the following:

• Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark Law School;
• The Animal Law Program at the Henry N.R Jackman Faculty of Law, University of Toronto;
• Vermont Law & Graduate School’s Animal Law & Policy Institute;
• The More-Than-Human Life (MOTH) Program at NYU Law;
• The NYU Center for Mind, Ethics, and Policy;
• The Wild Animal Welfare Program at NYU;
• The Animal Law & Policy Program at Harvard Law School; and
• Yale Law School’s Law, Environment & Animals Program.

The morning then transitioned into a ninety-minute networking session for attendees to meet and converse with new people. This provided a particularly valuable opportunity for students to not only connect with one another but also meet and learn from other animal advocacy professionals. The session concluded with a vegan lunch and additional time for informal discussions.

In the afternoon, attendees participated in two rounds of breakout discussions. Each breakout session featured four topics that attendees could choose from to engage in small group conversations. The first four breakout sessions were on the following topics:

• emerging topics in animal law;
• incorporating animal law into a big law practice;
• companion animal law; and
• balancing administrative tasks and activism.

The second breakout session covered:

• the intersection of labels and animal agriculture;
• tips for navigating a career in academia;
• legal support for activists; and
• promoting institutional change.

An expert in each field facilitated the smaller group conversations. The sessions provided a rich opportunity for participants to engage in deep conversations and exchange ideas. After the breakout sessions, the summit wrapped up with a generous happy hour, continued conversations, and a group photo.

Overall, the summit was a vibrant success that brought together students with diverse backgrounds and interests. The event provided a space for students to build connections and establish support networks as they continue to develop their careers within the animal protection movement. The “unconference” structure provided a welcoming and friendly environment that made even introverts feel encouraged to participate in conversations. The weekend was an excellent reminder of the unique, creative, and diverse perspectives that animal advocates hold and the tremendous potential for connection and industry growth that can arise out of these collaborative experiences.

About the Author: Frannie von Friedeburg is a 2L at Lewis & Clark Law School and is pursuing a Certificate in Animal Law. She is Co-Director of the Lewis & Clark Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter and serves as a submission editor for the Animal Law Review. She also serves as a Law Scholars for Change law clerk for the Center for Animal Law Studies, working with Professor Hira Jaleel. 

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. In addition to JD study, CALS offers an advanced degree program in-person and online. CALS’ Alumni-in-Actionfrom more than 30 countries are making a difference for animals around the world. 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.