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; last year Carolina Academic Press published a 780-page volume Animal Law, the first casebook of its kind.

Section News

• Newsletter now online: Winter 2007-08
• Annual report online: 2006-2007
• Now you can join the Animal Law Section online! 

Upcoming Events

• Friday, August 15, 2008 – Animal Law Section Mini-CLE: "Use of Evidence Provided by K-9 Dogs by Attorneys in Criminal Cases."

Law enforcement officers will discuss how evidence provided by the use of K-9 dogs is used by attorneys to make a criminal case.  They will also demonstrate how that evidence is obtained.

When:   Friday, August 15, 2008,  6:00 – 7:00 p.m. 

Where:  Norm's Eatery and Ale House, 460 N 36th St.
              Seattle, WA  98101.

Credits: 1.0 General CLE Credit for Washington attorneys.

Cost:      Section Members: Free
               Non-Section Members: $25 
               Law Students: $0

For more information:  Please contact Kimberlee A. Thornton at macneil_98@yahoo.com

Save the Date:  Annual Meeting

When:  Friday, October 10, 2008

Location:  Stoel Rives, 600 University Street, 32nd Floor Conference Room (check in on 36th floor)

Time:  2:00 to 6:00 PM

CLE Topic:  To Be Determined

CLE Cost:  Free to members

Conference calls will be available.  Details provided closer to the date. 

Calendar of Events

About the Section

Animal law has useful applications for practitioners in many areas including landlord/tenant, criminal, wills and trusts, personal injury and tort claims, non-profit corporations, 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:

• Establish a mid-year CLE and, eventually, a multi-state MCLE animal law institute
• Publish an Animal Law Reporter for the Pacific Northwest or nationally
• Print and distribute quarterly email or paper newsletters to section members, soliciting articles from practitioners, academics, and others
• Produce animal law-related pamphlets for the public.
• Provide information to and facilitate cooperation with government agencies and non-governmental humane societies, rescue organizations, and animal sanctuaries.
• Organize brown-bag lunches and roundtables to address animal law matters in a short time frame.

Section Members:  To join the section e-mail list and receive information about section activities and other section-related matters, please send your e-mail address and Bar number to questions@wsba.org.

For more information, please contact the Section Chair:

Ms. Kimberlee A. Thornton
Email: macneil_98@yahoo.com

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