About the Clinic

The Animal Law & Policy Clinic, which was launched in 2019 under founding director Katherine Meyer, provides students with direct, hands-on training in legal advocacy on behalf of animals. Visiting Clinical Professor and now Clinical Director Mary Hollingsworth now oversees the clinic. 

The Clinic operates as a public interest law firm working to advance the interests of animals through litigation, administrative rulemaking, policy initiatives, organizing, and similar legal advocacy avenues. Under the supervision of Clinic staff, students represent animal advocacy organizations and advocates to gain practical lawyering skills and build a foundation for ethical, reflective legal practice.  

The Clinic’s exciting docket has challenged the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s failure to conduct full inspections of animal research facilities, confronted a National Park Service fence that prevents elk from migrating to gain access to adequate food and water during drought, and urged the Supreme Court to uphold a California ballot initiative prohibiting the sale of meat from pigs held in extreme confinement. Learn more about the Clinic’s latest news and media coverage. 

Alongside their case work, clinic students complete a two-credit seminar introducing advocacy strategies used by animal lawyers under a variety of laws, including the Endangered Species Act, the Animal Welfare Act, the Freedom of Information Act, and laws pertaining to animal agriculture, consumer protection, animal cruelty, and more.  

Students interested in enrolling in the Clinic should sign up via Helios during the Clinical Registration period. Instructions are available on the OCP registration information page. 

Read more about the Clinic’s activities by semesters below.