STUDENT MEMBERS

Become a Student Member! Join our community helping animals…

access membership benefits and support our work using the law to help animals!

DISCOUNTS AND NETWORKING

Student members receive a free copy of the Journal of Animal Law (published twice yearly) and are eligible for free or discounted places at A-LAW events. Student members will also be invited to one student focused online event per term, where there are opportunities to meet people working in the field of animal law, policy and campaigns.

ENDORSEMENTS FOR YOUR C.V

Student members are eligible for an endorsement award. Each month we showcase the work of a student who has done something exceptional for animal advocacy from fundraising to a legal project, blog article or setting up an animal law society and award an endorsement star which can be added to your c.v or social media platform.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Student members are eligible to apply for pro bono opportunities through our volunteer animal law programme. Our student members (subject to demand) work alongside practitioners and academics and provide support for animal advocacy groups.

LEARN MORE ABOUT STUDENT MEMBERSHIP

Students in action! Be inspired…

by some of the ways students are helping animals, from awareness raising events to fundraising and research support.

Host a Guest Speaker

Mary and Nadia, Student Members, Edinburgh University

Mary and Nadia held a short conference on fish and crustacean welfare.

“On the 13th April 2022 at 7pm we were joined by five speakers for an in-depth consideration of fish & crustacean welfare in the UK. In particular, the webinar explored the sentience and intelligence of these animals, the legal framework surrounding them, and the campaigns advocating legislative change in this area. We were joined by speakers Prof Culum Brown, Dr Jonathan Birch, Paula Sparks, Amro Hussain and Claire Howard. The event highlighted the stark contrast between the high level of sentience of fish and crustaceans on the one hand, and the low level of legal protection they are afforded in the UK, on the other. Despite the rather dull legal landscape at present, sun appears on the horizon, considering the enactment of the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022, and various campaigns seeking to raise awareness about the current deficiencies.”

Host a Guest Speaker

Yuriko, Past Student Member, Queen’s University Belfast

Yuriko hosted FOUR PAWS to discuss their important work for animals!

She said, “As an A-LAW Student Member at Queen’s University Belfast, I decided to host a webinar with FOUR PAWS because of the fabulous work they are involved with across the globe. This seminar covered various topics including the commercial wildlife trade, illegal puppy trade, responsible pet ownership, and embracing animal friendly policies in the fashion industry to improve the way that animals are treated, including how to be conscious consumers. I hope to raise awareness about practices that harm animals and how we can use law and policy to improve protection of species harmed by human actions.”

Friend Farm Animal Sanctuary Visit

Robin, Past Student Member

‘We believe that experience like this provides a great opportunity to learn about anti-speciesism and non-violence as a philosophy and a way of life. Furthermore, interaction with other non-human animals allows us to see them as individuals with distinct personalities, and to understand them in a way that cannot be achieved in a classroom setting. Such understanding is crucial to our ability to think critically about existing laws and social arrangements, and how they can be improved to better protect animals.’

The Cecilia Moot Competition

Sam, Past Student Member, City University

Sam, organised and hosted the UK’s first animal law moot competition at City University, titled, the Cecilia Moot!

‘The success of this years’ competition in engaging so many students in animal law for the first time and in bringing practitoners together to hear arguments on current issues was inspiring and entirely due to the talent and energy of all who took park!’

This competition now runs annually, internally, by a small team of volunteers at A-LAW. The registration period begins every year in September. You can find out more information on our Cecilia Moot page!

The Cecilia Moot

Run a Race

Maria-Elena, Past A-LAW Student Ambassador

Maria-Elena ran a race to raise funds and spread awareness for animal interests.

Animal Law Week

Safia, Past Student Member, University of Leicester

Safia held a vegan bake sale a week long series of events! Read below!

‘Animal Law Week was a successful week with various interactive events aiming to give students an insight into animal law and the University of Leicester Animal Law Committee. Our first event was a stall in our Student’s Union entrance, our goal for was to raise awareness about A-LAW. Our second event was a debate night held in collaboration with the University of Leicester Debate Society. Prior to the debate, we arranged two motions to be discussed: trophy hunting and animal captivity. We began with animal captivity, which led us into a debate with two very compelling sides. As we spent most of the time discussing animal captivity, which involved lots of deep discussion, we ran out of time to debate trophy hunting. Many interesting points were raised throughout the debate with many students participating, leading to an engaging and thought-provoking event. Collaborating with the Debate Society proved to be incredibly successful, and the committee looks forward to working with them more often in the future.’ Continued on next slide.

Animal Law Week

‘Our third event was a documentary screening of The Ghosts in Our Machine, with vegan snacks provided. The documentary followed an animal rights photojournalist documenting the various ways in which animals are used in industries globally. The documentary raises important questions about animal rights and ownership over non-human animals. The film was thought provoking and brought attention to important issues regarding animal welfare and rights laws. We were also joined by a law lecturer interested in this field, Dr Joe Wills, who helped facilitate the post-film discussion. Our last event of the week was a trivia night with vegan pizza provided. The trivia included a special category on animal law. The quiz night proved to be a success with students enjoying vegan pizza and learning fun facts about animal law. Overall, Animal Law Week was a week filled with events showcasing the various ways in which animal law can be engaged with by students. The goal of raising awareness and bringing attention to animal law and issues within the field was achieve. The events also allowed the committee to learn about ways to improve attendance and engage students, leaving us excited for more Animal Law Weeks in the future!’

An exchange of minds between the UK and India to protect IUCN Red Listed Species

Aditi, Aryan, Parnika, Past Student Members, University of Bristol

On Earth Day, April 22 2021, Aditi, Aryan and Parnika, hosted guest speakers Gauri Maulekhi, Trustee with People For Animals India and Duncan McNair CEO, Save The Asian Elephants (STAE) for an important and insightful discussion about the plight of the Asian Elephants and other IUCN Red Listed Species and how to protect them.

A Bake Sale

Beliz, Past Student Member, Leicester University

‘The event was a success and the team also managed to get a hold of Lush product samples to help promote the idea of ethical testing and buying. They provided us with product samples to give away during the bake sale. It was great to see so many people interested in animal law during the event as we had lecturers and students asking questions about how we can combat issues in relation to animal rights and welfare. We also handed out some leaflets which informed the general public about the work A-LAW do.

For those of you who are thinking about fundraising, our top tip would be to just go for it! With some preparation and organisation, your event could too help promote animal law and raise awareness. We are the voice for animals so never be silent. The more people that know about the reality, the better the chance we have of securing more effective laws, for example, in relation to better animal welfare. So, if you feel passionate about this area of law then don’t feel afraid to share your passion and knowledge with the world, because you can make change happen.’

UK Chicken Welfare: What should we know? What do we need to consider?

Mary, Past Student Member

Mary hosted an event on chicken welfare in the UK. She hosted guest speakers Danielle Duffield, lawyer, adjunct animal law lecturer, co-chair of A-LAW’s Farmed Animal Working Group and co-founder of the New Zealand Animal Law Association, and Professor Andrew Knight, Professor of Animal Welfare and Ethics, and Founding Director of the University of Winchester Centre for Animal Welfare. Watch the event recording on our YouTube Channel – Animal Law TV!

The Last Pig Film Screening

Gretta, Student Member, University College Dublin

‘I chose to host a film screening on campus here at UCD because I wanted to connect with an audience who may not have otherwise been familiar with issues related to animal legal rights. I chose the film ‘The Last Pig’ in part because it was the only film related to animal welfare whose trailer I could watch without crying! But the film also stood out to me because it depicted what, in my opinion, are awful aspects of the meat industry in a way that was not graphic or condescending but instead emotional, philosophical and, in a way, gentle.

Attendance was fairly low as the screening took place close to the end of term, but afterwards a few of the attendees stuck around to talk about animal law (which they had never heard of and were excited to learn about!), vegetarianism, and veganism. I am hopeful that next term I will be able to put on a larger event and connect with more students on campus and spread the word about animal law.’

A-LAW featured at a Careers Fair at the University of Leeds

Tereza, Student Member, University of Leeds

‘In November, I organised my first event at the University of Leeds as a Student Member. It was part of a virtual Law and Finance Careers Fair hosted by the 93% Club Leeds, and also featured firms such as Taylor Wessing and J.P. Morgan. Tiffany Mitchell, Legal Support Officer, presented on behalf of A-LAW and I was able to introduce myself as Student Ambassador as a point of contact for students wanting to learn more about animals in a socio-legal context. Tiffany delivered a really engaging talk about A-LAW which outlined the main aims of the charity and its work and about the wide variety of informational materials A-LAW has on offer – YouTube channel, policy papers, journal, blog, podcast, etc. Students also found out more about ways they can get involved, such as the national essay competition and the Cecilia Moot. As my first event in my ambassador role, it was really exciting to meet students who wanted to learn more about A-LAW and animal law. For the occasion, I thought it would be best to give students a good introduction into the charity and ways to get involved. Anyone who wants to learn more about animal law will then be aware of available resources, events and opportunities. Students at the University of Leeds have shown interest and have started to follow A-LAW’s work. This is really encouraging and hopefully, we will learn more together in the future in my role as Student Ambassador!’

A Bake Sale

Helena, Student Member, Birmingham University

‘My name is Helena, I am a Student Member for A-LAW, and the participation and inclusions officer for our BCU Law society. My initiative for fundraising through a bake sale was because I felt more students in the university would engage with a bake sale, rather than a specific event. Through collaborating with the BCU Earth Society, and our aims to be more environmentally friendly, we made the cupcakes vegetarian. There was a lot of engagement, especially from those who were not aware of animal welfare law. The fundraiser was definitely a great way to not only raise money for A-LAW but to educate people on animal welfare, and to promote A-LAW as a charity, as some students were curious about who we were raising funds for. All in all it was a successful fundraiser and we raised £102.50!’

Run a Race

Natasha, Student Member, University of Winchester

Natasha ran a 14k race and raised funds for A-LAW. She raised just under £500 for A-LAW doubling her fundraising goal.

‘As individuals, we can often feel helpless when it comes to animal welfare. However, getting involved in fundraisers is an amazing opportunity to not only raise money to help charities continue their work, but also raise awareness for these charities, and therefore what you feel passionate about. I wanted to run for A- LAW because I believe their work is essential for animals’ better treatment. Laws currently favour human interests, and A-LAW speaks for animal interests. I had so much fun at the same time and have only questioned myself as to why I didn’t do it sooner! I also received so much support, with donations over doubling my targeted goal. Many hadn’t heard of A-LAW before and commented on what an amazing charity I was running for! If we all do something we consider small, we can achieve something big for animals. Get involved for them!!’

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