I may have an ulterior motive here (see below) but this is completely sincere nevertheless. If you are a lawyer, interested in animal law in any way, you need to join a bar association animal law section and/or committee. A few years ago, that might have been difficult, because there were so few of them, but nowadays animal law committees are very common. Even if your particular bar association of choice doesn’t have one, it is no longer controversial to try to get one started. So do it!
What’s in it for you? Well, if my experience is any forecast, you will meet lots of great lawyers who care passionately about animals who will remain your colleagues and friends for years to come. That’s what came about when, years ago, I joined the New York City Bar Association‘s Animal Law Committee. It was at that point that, rather than seeing myself just a person who cared about animals, I felt like I was somebody who was trying to DO something!
What’s in this for the animals? One of the most important things about getting active in bar associations is that you are out there in the real world. Bar associations are full of active, political, intelligent, often progressive people who frequently, like the rest of the population, know absolutely nothing about the current treatment of animals and the laws that govern, or fail to govern, their care. While working with such people can, as we all know, have its frustrations, the opportunities for creating change are a lot greater when you are enlightening change-makers, than when you are talking to people who are already on board.
As for my afore-mentioned self interest, starting in August I will be the chair of the Animal Law Committee of the American Bar Association‘s Tort, Trial, Insurance Practice Section. The ALC is a growing and dynamic body of lawyers and it is really a privilege to be part of it. If I do say so myself, its facebook page is one of the best places around to stay on top of what’s going on in animal law. Once you are a member of the ABA (which, I might add, is very inexpensive for law students and recent graduates), you need to join the Tort, Trial, Insurance Practice Section, and then join the Animal Law Committee. I hope you to see you there!!
Photo: Animal Law Committee
