Christina Lee is a recipient of the Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law & Policy Domestic Scholarship. Christina holds a JD from University of San Diego School of Law and a BA in Political Science from University of California San Diego. She also has a certificate in International Human Rights Law from Santa Clara University School of Law’s program in Geneva, Switzerland. Other certifications she has obtained are in nonprofit organization creation and grant writing. She has also studied International Human Rights and Judicial Interpretation: a Critical Approach with Institut Universitaire de Hautes Études Internationales, in Geneva, Switzerland.
She is vice president on the board of directors for Veganville Animal Sanctuary, in Seaside, Oregon. In addition, Christina has assisted several organizations involved in animal protection. These activities involved researching and analyzing potential First Amendment free speech violations, legal issues for undercover investigators, organizational and personal liability, breach of contract, and the legality of the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA). Christina has also built relationships with California Congressional Districts to discuss and lobby various animal welfare bills.
After law school, Christina worked in several human rights positions with the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, and Nicosia, Cyprus. Among many roles and duties, she analyzed and drafted legislation and constitutional changes for governments, and made recommendations on best practices. She collaborated with various parties to successfully implement new programs to improve the treatment of asylum-seekers, and developed educational training programs curtailing discrimination of minority populations. Christina counseled clients, determined claims and appeals, drafted legal analyses, provided persuasive arguments, and protected vulnerable people from persecution. In addition, Christina provided recommendations for States on the law and human rights in the migration sphere, which resulted in a published global policy report on migration issues and practical strategies.
In Christina’s personal life, she is an activist for animal and human rights, veganism, as well as issues concerning the environment. She has participated in events and demonstrations with various groups dedicated to helping those who are oppressed. Christina’s activism began at the age of seven, when she saw whaling on television and became terribly upset. She began a letter-writing campaign with her grandmother, pleading with the leaders of Japan and Norway to stop killing whales. As an adult, Christina continues with this spirit of activism. Her goal is to bring about compassionate change by challenging our legal system, as well as writing books to inspire a revolution of our ethics and to give a voice to the voiceless.
“I believe it is my mission to be an advocate for the voiceless. A new equality is dawning that does not discriminate, disadvantage, or harm animals because of their perceived otherness. I decided to study Animal Law so that I could be a more effective advocate for those who often have the least heard voices in our world. Instead of being relegated to things, or commodities, without feelings and interests of their own, animals should be given legal personhood as fellow sentient beings. It is my hope that I can use my LLM degree to encourage this evolution.”