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Animal Law Master of Laws (LLM) Program
The world’s first advanced legal degree program in animal law
Animal Law Master of Laws (LLM) Program
The world’s only advanced legal degree program in animal law is now fully onlineEarn Your Advanced Legal Degree in Animal Law
The Center for Animal Law Studies (CALS) offers its Master of Laws (Animal Law LLM) program at Lewis & Clark Law School fully online.
The program is designed for U.S. and international law graduates and attorneys seeking to protect animals through the law. The Animal Law LLM prepares you for advancement in the career path you choose, including specialized practice, policy development, implementation, or enforcement, scholarship or teaching, advocacy, executive leadership, and more.
To be eligible to apply, candidates must be a graduate of an accredited U.S. or international law school. Additionally, international candidates should confirm their eligibility for the LLM program by making sure their degree is listed here.
Graduate in as few as 18 Months
- Begin the program in the Fall or Spring term.
- The degree requires 26 credit hours to complete
- Graduate from the part-time program in just four terms: e.g., Fall, Spring, Summer, and Fall.
- Students who take more than the regular number of courses (2-3) per term can graduate in as few as three terms: e.g., Fall, Spring, and Summer.
Designed to Support International Candidates
To equip international candidates for success in their animal law courses, international students take an Introduction to US Legal Studies course during their first term to prepare them to read legal cases and engage with legal concepts. In addition, international LLM students are graded on a “credit / no credit / honors” basis. As such, they do not receive letter grades (e.g., A, B+, C-, etc.) for final course grades; however, they are eligible to receive an “HR,” or Honors, designation for courses in which they would have earned a B+ or higher.
Important Dates
Fall Semester Begins
August 12th, 2024
Fall Application Deadline
May 19th, 2024
Advocating for Animals in New Zealand
“I am so grateful for the opportunity to study at Lewis & Clark’s Center for Animal Law Studies, to immerse myself in all-things-animal-law, and to be inspired by Animal Law trailblazers. The variety and quality of courses, and the support I received from my professors, surpassed my expectations. I have gained expertise in developing and using the law strategically and creatively to advocate for animals – through litigation, legislation, policy, and lobbying.”
Online Animal Law LLM Curriculum
Animal law overlaps with many traditional areas of the law such as torts, criminal, constitutional, and property law. It is rooted in the practical application of statutory and decisional law but also explores legal theory and jurisprudence. In animal law we ask fundamental questions about the nature of a legal right or interest. Among other things, we examine how the law often creates or entrenches power imbalances, and how those imbalances impact animals.
Courses are rigorous and diverse, taught by renowned animal law scholars and practitioners from around the world. Students learn from many of the same accomplished and nationally recognized faculty who teach the in-person LLM program. Courses are delivered via an easy-to-use online asynchronous platform. Online LLM students will complete readings, listen to prerecorded lectures, and submit assignments by established deadlines—on a schedule that works for them.
Animal Law LLM students can look forward to a curriculum that features:
- Animal Law Fundamentals
- Animal Law Trial Advocacy
- Aquatic Animal Law
- Emerging Topics in Animal Law, such as:
- Insect Law
- Veterinary Animal Law
- Animals, Law, & the Modern Media
- Industrial Animal Agriculture Law
- International Animal Law
- Introduction to US Legal Studies (for international candidates)
- Companion Animal Law
- Crimes Against Animals
- Food Law
- Global Wild Animal Law
- The Law & Ethics of Animal Testing; and
- Nonprofit Animal Law