Bianka Atlas is the first Animal Law LLM graduate from Aotearoa New Zealand and a Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law and Policy International Scholar. Bianka graduated from Lewis & Clark with Honors and was the LLM Representative for Lewis & Clark’s Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter.
Bianka has worked in campaigns, operations management, and fundraising roles at companion animal and wildlife not-for-profits. She managed the ground-breaking campaign to ban live animal export in New Zealand, and is currently a Regulatory Advisor on CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
Bianka has researched and published on a range of animal law issues, including aquatic animal protection, the link between domestic violence and animal abuse, and international wildlife law. Her article, ‘Joining the Herd: A Case for Closing New Zealand’s Domestic Ivory Market,’ was published in Lewis & Clark’s Animal Law.
Before joining the Animal Law LLM Program, Bianka enjoyed a varied human rights career, with expertise in children’s rights and refugee protection in New Zealand and internationally, including deployment with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Bianka received her Bachelor of Laws (Honors) and Bachelor of Arts (Linguistics and Psychology) from the University of Auckland and her Master of Science (Childhood Studies) from the University of Edinburgh. Bianka also holds a Certificate in Animal Welfare Investigations.