Animal Law Clinic I

Description:

Limit: 6 students

As the only animal law clinic in the country, the clinic focuses on matters of national and international importance, in addition to maintaining connections and working in the local community. Students in the Animal Law Clinic conduct research, represent clients, work on clinic projects, and with attorneys outside the clinic to develop the field of animal law and encourage consideration of the interests of animals in legal decision making. Their work includes, research, transactional work, litigation, and strategic planning. Where possible students also shadow local lawyers, work with lawyer partners around the country, observe legal proceedings, and conduct field work to better understand the problems facing animals.

The Animal Law Clinic is a year long course for which students will earn 6 credits. Students participate in a weekly 2 hour class covering substantive issues and lawyering skills, meet weekly with clinic faculty to discuss their work, and spend an average of 8 10 hours per week on clinic work.

Students must take Animal Law either as a pre-requisite or co-requisite for the Animal Law Clinic and must enroll for both the Fall and Spring semesters of the course. There is no application process. Up to 6 students may enroll on a first come first served basis. If more than 6 students are interested in the course, preference will be given to those students who have already taken the basic Animal Law course.

The Animal Law Clinic is a credit/no credit course with no final examination or paper requirement. While the clinic will not include a separate ethics portion for credit, students will be exposed to and will learn about professionalism and ethics critical to being an effective legal advocate. Students are encouraged to obtain certification, but it is not required.

Currently, the Animal Law Clinic is working on the regulatory barriers to alternatives to animal testing, and determining how best to address some of the problems resulting from factory farming. Additionally, the clinic is working with the Oregon Humane Society to determine the origins and scope of its authority; and with the County Attorney's office to consider changes in the procedural rules for dangerous dog hearings.

The Animal Law Clinic hopes to collaborate with the other clinics at Lewis & Clark to enhance the work of the clinics and the experiences available to the students. In furtherance of this goal, the Animal Law Clinic is working with the Small Business Legal Clinic on a project to form a tax exempt non profit organization for a client whose mission is to stop the slaughter of chimpanzees in Cameroon as part of that country's bushmeat trade. The Animal Law Clinic is exploring the potential of working with the Pacific Environmental Advocacy Center on factory farms and with the International Environmental Law Project regarding the regulations of dolphins in petting pools.

For further information, contact clinic director, Kathy Hessler at khessler@lclark.edu

Pre/Co requisite: Animal Law