Welcome to the GW Animal Law Program's newsletter! We're excited to share highlights and memorable events from this past academic year. 

Kathy Hessler, Assistant Dean for Animal Legal Education at George Washington University Law School, and Director of the Animal Legal Education Initiative (ALEI)

April 3-5, 2025

The Animal Legal Education Initiative (ALEI) co-hosted a three-day conference with the Justice for Animals Program at the University of San Francisco School of Law, The Whale Sanctuary Project, and the GW Law chapter of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF).

On World Aquatic Animal Day, we hosted a conference highlighting the importance of protecting aquatic animals and their habitats. The first panel, Turning the Tide: Systemic Change for Aquatic Animals, was followed by the second panel, Blue Frontiers: Legal and Scientific Advances for Aquatic Animals. The recording of Panel 2 is available here.

March 20, 2025

This panel explored these trends, including the potential changes that could result if federal bills such as the FDA Modernization Act 3.0 are enacted and if federal agencies and departments such as the NIH, EPA, and FDA take action to trim their budgets and potentially reduce or eliminate animal-based research programs.

Panelists (right to left): Justin Goodman, White Coat Waste Project; Rebecca Critser, Johns Hopkins University; Elizabeth Baker, Esq., Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine; Laurel Palluzi (moderator), LAP Legal LLC

February 27, 2025

The D.C. Council recently enacted the Pets in Housing Amendment Act of 2024, which bars certain restrictions on common household pets in apartments, limits fees that may be charged to tenants with pets, and allows pet owners access to homeless shelters. Our panel of experts and advocates discussed some of the legal and policy issues surrounding pets in housing, the advocacy and debates leading to the District’s new law, and how the Act will change things for landlords and tenants—and their animals. 

Panelists (left to right): K. David Meit, CPM® (Principal of Oculus Realty, AMO®), Kelly Whittier (People + Paws for Affordable Housing), Lauren Loney (Attorney, Lauren Loney Consulting LLC), Kailey McNeal (Associate, Jones Day; GW Law ’24),  Susan Riggs (Senior Director of Housing Policy, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) (attended virtually)

February 24, 2025

Artificial intelligence is impacting our lives broadly and its impact will only increase. This webinar considered AI’s impact on animals, and on the animal protection community and its work. It identified some ethical issues that need attention and outline some of the issues in the animal space that need attention. 

Speakers: Diego Plaza, CEDA Chile, and Yolanda Eisenstein, UIA Animal Law Commission

February 18, 2025

We heard from GW Law alum Kitty Block, President and Chief Executive Officer and President of Humane World for Animals (formerly known as the Humane Society of the United States). Kitty discussed some of her long career in animal protection and her start at GW Law. Andrew Murphy, JD' 25, moderated the discussion. 

The Animal Law & Science Project offers programs and resources that bring together scientific scholarship, legal scholarship, and legal advocacy to create stronger protections for animals through legislation, litigation, and policy. We host webinars at the intersection of law, natural science, and social science. The goal of these webinars is to introduce lawyers to the impact science has on law and, conversely, scientists to the impact that law has on science. 

We hosted several webinars this academic year, including webinars on de-extinction, declarations on animal consciousness, cows and the law, and more. 

Adjunct, rather than full-time, law professors do the majority of animal law teaching in the U.S. and globally. Yet this community does not have the same access to academic resources and support as their full-time counterparts. That can make developing and maintaining animal law courses more challenging. This series is designed to remedy some of that inequity and offer support and resources to expand and improve animal law teaching. 

Check out our webinars from this academic year!

Wednesday, September 17th, 2025

Join us for another conversation in our Adjunct Teachers in Animal Law Series. The field of animal law is vast, comprising countless intersections between animals and the law. This session will focus specifically on the development of a syllabus for an Animal Law 101 course and cover topics including selecting which areas of animal law to focus on, how to sequence topics, which classroom policies to include, and many other topics instrumental to developing a basic animal law course.

Friday, October 10th, 2025

Science is an integral part of animal law. Law practitioners who are familiar with the basic tenets of science are at an advantage in litigation, and creating good legislation and policy. Yet legal wrangling can lead to the misuse of science. It is critical for animal law students to avoid the limitations and distortions of scientific information that can undermine their arguments and cases.

Join legal scholar Kathy Hessler in conversation with Delcianna Winders (Vermont Law) and Lori Marino (Declaration of Rights for Cetaceans) as they discuss common pitfalls students and practitioners should look out for when science is either not understood completely or is used incorrectly.

Friday, November 7, 2025 - Sunday, November 9, 2025

This conference will explore how artificial intelligence intersects with animal law. Artificial intelligence and technologies that can be paired with AI may be the key to addressing previously unsolvable problems that impact humans, animals & our shared environment. Attorneys and experts will discuss these intersections to provide key learnings and provoke meaningful discussions.

Check our event page and social media for more news and updates!