Mission Statement

The Stanford Law School Student Animal Legal Defense Fund is dedicated to providing a forum for education, advocacy, and scholarship aimed at protecting the lives and advancing the interests of animals through the legal system, and raising the profile of the field of animal law. SALDF is committed to the goals of educating the law school and surrounding communities about forms of institutionalized animal abuse, and engaging in projects that combat that abuse.

The past and future activities of SALDF include: hosting speakers, debates, panels, and conferences on current issues in animal rights law; carrying out research projects for lawyers and organizations involved in animal rights litigation; networking with students at other law schools, colleges, universities, and high schools who are pursuing interests in animal rights and environmental issues; networking with other Stanford Law School student groups on points of intersection between their causes and that of SALDF, including, but not limited to, social justice, environmentalism, and feminism; conducting educational events such as information tables and film screenings on pertinent issues; organizing an animal law reading group and lobbying the administration for the creation of an Animal Law course at Stanford Law School; contributing to the criminal defense and political support of those who have committed nonviolent illegal acts in defense of animals; and advocating on behalf of vegetarian and vegan students within our law school.