Animal Law Section

Animal law has quickly emerged as a specialty legal field in law schools (Harvard, Duke, Georgetown, Hastings, Rutgers, and the Northwestern School of Law at Lewis & Clark College, which publishes the Animal Law Journal). Animal-centered litigation appears more routinely on court dockets as pet owners sue to recover damages. Nationwide, legislatures debate the passage of bills addressing issues at the boundaries of human-animal relationships. In 2010 Carolina Academic Press published the fourth edition of a 780-page volume on animal law, the first casebook of its kind.

Animal law has useful applications for practitioners in many areas including landlord-tenant, criminal, wills and trusts, personal injury and tort claims, nonprofit organizations, agricultural, local government, and administrative law.

In addition to providing a forum for members to exchange ideas, study, and understand laws, regulations, and case law pertaining to all areas of animal law, initial goals of the Animal Law Section include:

• Establishing an annual seminar and eventually a multistate MCLE animal law institute
• Publishing an Animal Law Reporter for the Pacific Northwest or nationwide
• Printing and distributing quarterly email or paper newsletters to section members, soliciting articles from practitioners, academics, and others
• Producing animal law-related pamphlets for the public
• Providing information to and facilitate cooperation with government agencies and nongovernmental humane societies, rescue organizations, and animal sanctuaries
• Organizing brown-bag lunches and round tables to address animal law matters in a short time frame.

Annual Report  |  Budget  |   Bylaws  |  Year in Review  |  Elections

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The Animal Law Section offers many resources and benefits for members. Click the following links to learn more.

Upcoming Programs

NEW! Webcast — Crimes Against Animals

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Presented in partnership with the WSBA Animal Law Section.

Animal abuse covers varying offenses and varying groups of animals. Hear as prosecutors, defenders, investigators, and private practitioners discuss investigations, case studies, and updates. Also hear form a WSBA representative about battling compassion fatigue when representing animal law cases.

When: Oct. 11, 2023

Time: 8:25 a.m.–3:45 p.m. PDT

Credits: 4.5 Law & Legal Procedure, 0.5 Ethics, 1.0 Other

Tuition:
Early-Bird Pricing valid thru Aug. 31, 2023
$225 - Animal Law Section Members (discount applied at checkout)
$225 - Standard/Non-Section Members
$250 - Join the Section [add the Related Items Animal Law Section membership ($25) to your cart during checkout and register at the Section member rate ($225)]
$225 - New Members*
* New Members who have been admitted to practice in Washington for fewer than five years are eligible to receive the new member tuition. Note: the store will automatically discount your registrations during checkout.

Pricing after Aug. 31, 2023
$250 - Animal Law Section Members (discount applied at checkout)
$275 - Standard/Non-Section Members
$275 - Join the Section [add the Related Items Animal Law Section members ($25) to your cart during checkout and register at the Section member rate ($250)]
$225 - New Members*
* New Members who have been admitted to practice in Washington for fewer than five years are eligible to receive the new member tuition. Note: The store will automatically discount your registration during checkout.

Product Code: 24803WEB

Chair:
Leila Arefi-Pour, Vancouver Defenders, Vancouver, WA

Faculty:
Leila Arefi-Pour, Vancouver Defenders, Vancouver, WA
Ann Graves, Tacoma and Pierce County Humane Society, Tacoma
Scott Holloran, Environmental Protection Division, Attorney General's Office, Seattle
Adam Karp, Animal Law Offices, PLLC, Bellingham
Adely Ruiz, Washington State Bar Association, Seattle
Tessa Scholl, Whitman County Prosecutor's Office, Colfax
Owen Sutanto, Vancouver Defenders, Vancouver, WA

Schedule:
8:10 a.m. Webcast Login Opens
8:25 a.m. Webcast Begins
Noon-1 p.m. Lunch
3:45 p.m. Adjourn

Register Online Now!

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Executive Committee

Please contact subcommittee members for details on their upcoming meeting dates and locations.

For general questions, or to request archived issues of the section newsletter, please send your inquiry to sections@wsba.org. To get involved and learn more about the Animal Law Section, please contact the section chair, Leila Arefi-Pour.