Animal Law

This course presents a survey of the historical and current status of this rapidly developing specialty. In brief, animal law encompasses all areas of the law in which the nature -- legal, social or biological -- of nonhuman animals is an important factor. It is an objective and logical specialization of a challenging area -- one with a growing number of cases and laws, increasing public and practical interest, and significantly different historical, legal and philosophical foundations than most other courses. Topics covered include animal cruelty, animals as property, tort claims regarding animals, legal issues involving farm animals and animals in entertainment, and federal statutes regarding certain groups of animals. The Animal Law course has been described as intellectually stimulating and ethically challenging, and synthesizes a wide range of legal concepts, and the course materials apply traditional ideas to legal concepts associated with animals in new ways. Students have called it a great bar review class, because concepts from many areas of law are covered with respect to their application to animals and their interests. More and more firms, large and small, are providing pro bono (and paying) work in the animal law area, as the field gains momentum and reputability in the legal community. Mr. Wagman is a lawyer in San Francisco, with a full-time animal law practice, representing organizations and individuals in a wide range of cases. He is one of the authors of the Animal Law casebook, two other animal legal texts, and has been practicing animal law for most of his 30-year career. His practice includes litigation, consultation, legislative work, and extensive writing and lecturing on various animal law topics. The class includes regular updates on his current cases, which for this semester includes a case that will be argued in the U.S. Supreme Court in the October 2022 term. He also regularly provides real-life experiences from the front lines of the field. Special Instructions: Students have the option to write an independent research paper in lieu of the final exam with consent of instructor. After the term begins, students accepted into the course can transfer from section (01) into section (02), which meets the R requirement, with consent of the instructor. Elements used in grading: Final exam or 18 page independent research paper.