 Greetings from all of us at the Center for Animal Law Studies! As our 10-week summer courses have now come to a close and we prepare for the upcoming fall semester, we’re taking a moment to reflect on an exciting summer season and the past academic year.
In this newsletter, we’re excited to share our 2025–2026 Academic Year in Review, featuring some major milestones. You’ll also find details on celebrating the amazing career of Professor Joyce Tischler, who retired earlier this summer; an overview of our inaugural International Aquaculture Law & Policy Symposium in England; opportunities for animal law alumni to apply for the Global Ambassador Program; how to register for the 34th Annual Animal Law Conference; and more.
Enjoy these final weeks of summer! As always, thank you for your steadfast partnership and for everything you do to support our mission and advance protection for animals around the world.
With gratitude,
Megan Senatori
Executive Director
Center for Animal Law Studies
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2025-2026 Academic Year in Review
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| As we wrap up another incredible academic year at CALS, we’re thrilled to share our 2025-2026 Year in Review! Take a look back at key highlights, including a legislative victory for companion animals in Colorado made possible by the Animal Law Clinic, the launch of our global Animalex database, our work to protect aquatic animals, and more. Read the full review to see how our students, faculty, and alumni continue to redefine the field of animal law, and learn how you can support this groundbreaking work! |
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A Landmark Convening on Aquaculture Law and Policy
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| This June, CALS hosted an inaugural International Aquaculture Law & Policy Symposium at the University of Birmingham, England, with co-hosts the Aquatic Life Institute and the Multispecies Collective. Bringing together advocates and experts from over 20 countries, the landmark event explored the growing field of industrial aquaculture law and policy, elevating aquatic animal protection, and setting the stage for a new Animal Protection Blueprint to improve welfare standards and curb industry expansion. A conference attendee shared “This was one of the richest and most informative Animal Law events I have ever attended. The organization was impeccable!” You can check out the full event recap and watch all four panels here. |
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Honoring Joyce Tischler, the “Mother of Animal Law”
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| This June, our beloved colleague and Professor of Practice Joyce Tischler retired after nearly 50 years of pioneering animal law advocacy. While we’ll miss her everyday presence at CALS, we can’t wait to celebrate her extraordinary legacy, and we’d love you to be a part of it! Please join our global community online for a special virtual retirement celebration.
You can RSVP for the virtual event here and read Joyce’s retirement announcement here. |
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Welcome Professor of Practice, Robyn Pekala
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| We’re thrilled to welcome Robyn Pekala (Animal Law LLM ’24) to our team as a Professor of Practice. Bringing extensive legal experience and a deep commitment to animal advocacy to the role, Robyn will co-teach the Animal Law Clinic alongside Professor Raj Reddy, as well as lead our Aquatic Animal Law course. Before dedicating her career to animal law, Robyn spent nearly a decade in private practice, where she counseled multinational corporate clients on complex state tax issues and assisted with cases involving constitutional implications at the California and U.S. Supreme Courts. You can read more about Robyn here. |
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Wrapping Up a Successful Summer Term
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| As the summer term comes to a close, we are celebrating another fantastic session with our animal law students. Over the past two months, they took several specialized courses, including Animal Law Trial Advocacy with Sarah Thompson, Food Law with Kaitilyn Bestor and Pamela Frasch, and Law & Ethics of Animal Testing with Rebecca Critser and Dr. Paul Locke. Thank you to our amazing faculty and students for making this term such a success! |
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Drive Global Change as a CALS Ambassador!
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| We’re excited to announce that applications for our 2026-27 Global Ambassador Program (GAP) are officially open! The GAP empowers and supports our alumni as they cultivate animal law education and advocacy through self-designed, high-impact projects around the world. Selected CALS Ambassadors receive a grant of up to $5,000 to bring their advocacy projects to life, along with dedicated support from CALS to amplify their reach and impact. This opportunity is open to Lewis & Clark Law School alums with JD (with animal law certificate), Animal Law LLM, or Animal Law MSL degrees. If you’re ready to drive change for animals in your region, you can click here to apply by September 15, 2026. |
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Create a Lasting Legacy for Animals
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| Did you know that August is national Make-a-Will Month? Beyond making sure your companion animals are provided for, your estate plan is a powerful tool to drive legal protections for animals around the world.
Through CALS’ Animal Law Legacy Program, you can support our mission and empower future generations of animal advocates.
You can explore our legacy planning resources or contact Executive Director Megan Senatori to learn more about how you can leave a legacy of compassion. |
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Register Now for the 34th Animal Law Conference
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| Get ready to once again connect with animal law advocates, scholars, and practitioners from around the globe! Registration is open for the 34th Annual Animal Law Conference, taking place October 16-18, 2026, in Washington, DC, and online. Check out the full program and register to join us here. |
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The Center for Animal Law Studies (CALS) was founded in 2008 with a mission to educate the next generation of animal law advocates and advance animal protection through the law. CALS has since developed into a world-renowned animal law epicenter, and our Alumni-in-Action are advancing legal protections and making a difference for animals around the world. CALS is a self-funded center within Lewis & Clark Law School operating under the Lewis & Clark College 501(c)(3) tax exemption, and is able to provide these educational opportunities through donations and grants. |
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