Reflecting on the 33rd Animal Law Conference

By Daria Bednarczyk, Blair Eagleson, CriShaun Hardy, Akosua Dufie, Matthew Durthaler, Zachary Liebowitz, and Rebecca Critser | October 16th, 2025

This year, members of our team attended the 33rd Animal Law Conference in Chicago, Illinois. The conference featured a wide range of panels covering topics such as Recognizing and Managing Compassion Fatigue for Animal Welfare Professionals, Free Speech and Animal Activism, to Engaging the Next Generation and Expanding Outreach.

Attending the conference provided our team with the opportunity to enrich our understanding of how to further our mission—bridging the gap between 21st century science and policy while promoting cutting-edge scientific methods aimed at reducing and ultimately replacing animal models. Throughout the event, team members networked with and learned from professionals across the animal law and welfare field.

Each member of our team came away with a unique perspective and set of takeaways. From an established animal lawyer to a research assistant interested in animal law and policy, each attendee came away with new perspectives and ideas inspired by the conference panels.

To capture the diversity of perspectives within our team, each attendee has shared a brief reflection on their experience at the conference:

Daria Bednarczyk, JD: As a third-time attendee and recent law school graduate specializing in animal law, the Animal Law Conference continues to inspire me. The panel Gaps in Companion Animal Legal Protection emphasized how seeing animals as individuals, rather than as numbers, can influence how we approach their welfare. This insight aligns with my work at Johns Hopkins promoting non-animal research models to advance more human-relevant science, supporting ethical practices while improving outcomes. I am proud to be a part of this close-knit and compassionate community.

Blair Eagleson, JD: As a first-time attendee, I was very excited to have the opportunity to attend this year’s conference. Sunday’s second panel, Engaging the Next Generation & Expanding Outreach, discussed how individuals can contribute to animal welfare in various ways, whether by pursuing a career in the field or providing a public comment on proposed agency rules. The panel presented graphics from a Faunalytics poll showing that a majority of the Gen Z respondents are concerned about the environment and animal welfare and believe the U.S. could do more to address these issues. I look forward to using my role on this team to be an advocate for better policies that will improve animal welfare.

CriShaun Hardy, JD: As a recent law school graduate and first-time attendee of the Animal Law Conference, I was both impressed and motivated by the experience. I greatly appreciated the atmosphere and the opportunity for networking with other professionals in the animal law space. I found the Legislating for Animals at Every Level panel particularly interesting, especially given the experience of one of the panelists in advocating nationally in Canada. For me, hearing about their work served as a reminder that advocating for animal protection laws is a global concern that requires a collaborative approach, and I hope to keep this perspective in mind during my work at Johns Hopkins.

Akosua Dufie, LL. B, QCL, LLM: I was particularly intrigued by the stories shared by animal activists. Through strategic lawsuits, protest and advocacy, animal activists promote animal welfare, and protect themselves from intimidation and unmerited lawsuits. This discussion highlighted how laws secure First Amendment rights and protect animals, particularly Anti SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) statutes. Without legal defense, activists would be afraid to do their work. Going forward, I would love to hear more about research animals. What strategies should activists have in place to promote alternatives to animal testing within the scientific community? Overall, the conference was thought-provoking. My key takeaway is that, effective animal protection requires courage, strategy and incremental steps. All hands must be on deck in the animal protection endeavor, and every voice matters.

Matthew Durthaler, MS: Despite much of the conference focusing on agriculture and companion animals, I was pleasantly surprised at how relevant the sessions were to the work that we do. The session entitled “Factory Farming & the Fight for Enforcement” was an excellent example of this. The two presenters, Adreinne Craig and Pete Paxton, highlighted some of the barriers to enforcement of existing animal welfare standards in the setting of agriculture, but I felt that Pete’s message was especially relevant to our team as well.  He discussed how the culture of an agency, field, or geographic area can affect enforcement of a law and how a bit of cultural humility can sometimes result in better enforcement. I think this serves as an important reminder for me and others within this field that the path to fewer animals in research requires policy that is evidence-based, incremental, and collaborative.

Zachary Liebowitz, BS: Attending the Animal Law Conference for the second time gave me a deeper appreciation for the highly creative field of animal law. I was struck by how practitioners use inventive strategies to advance cases and policy in a space that is still developing. From adapting existing legal frameworks to forging new arguments, the field demonstrates an impressive level of innovation. As I prepare to begin law school next fall, the conference broadened my perspective on how creativity can shape highly specialized areas of the law and inspire broader reform.

Rebecca Critser, JD, LLM: The Animal Law Conference never fails to provide a welcoming environment that fosters connection and collaboration amongst animal law professionals. This year was no different.  I was particularly grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with Lewis & Clark faculty, students, and alumni at the Friday-night meet up and to similarly connect with ABA TIPS Animal Law Committee members at the Saturday-night event. I also want to recognize the wonderful presentation given by Justify’s Maddie Krasno, who continues to be a pioneer in the critical work of bringing together animal advocates and scientists to improve the lives and wellbeing of both.  From meeting with former students to connecting with panelists about their work, the only thing the Conference lacks is more time.

Thank you to the Animal Legal Defense Fund and the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark Law School for hosting such a wonderful event. Together, our team hopes to strengthen our shared mission and continue growing as individual professionals dedicated to ethical, evidence-based progress. By applying the lessons gained from the conference, we aim to enhance our ongoing work driving the transition towards innovative, ethical, and human-relevant science.

The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Johns Hopkins University or Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.