Project Type: Legal Research and Writing
Fields of Law: Animal Law
Positions Available: 2-3 students
About Animal Justice
Animal Justice uses the law to protect animals. We work to strengthen legal protections for animals across Canada and go to court to enforce laws governing the treatment of animals and the rights of animal advocates. Animal Justice also works to educate the public regarding the treatment of animals used for human food, entertainment, fashion, and scientific research.
Project Details
Animal Justice is seeking students to conduct legal research in various areas of animal protection law, constitutional law, and human rights law in support of Animal Justice’s litigation files as well as its law reform campaigns. Students will focus on the following three overarching topics:
- Agricultural gag ("ag gag") laws - Various jurisdictions across Canada (prominently including Alberta, Ontario, and Manitoba) have introduced or passed laws designed to stop employee whistleblowers and investigative journalists from publicly exposing animal abuse on farms and/or to restrict protest by animal advocates on public property near transport trucks. Animal Justice is in the midst of challenging the constitutionality of Ontario's ag gag law (The Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act, 2020, S.O. 2020, c.9) and may engage in challenges in one or more other jurisdictions. Animal Justice is actively working to stop the spread of ag gag laws provincially and federally;
- Research on prospective litigation - Students may also be asked to conduct research as part of Animal Justice's other ongoing and planned legal challenges. These involve, among other things, protecting the free expression rights of animal advocates, rights to be free from discrimination on the basis of creed for individuals with secular belief systems (i.e. ethical veganism), and public interest standing in animal law;
- Assistance on law reform - Animal Justice is involved in several law reform initiatives at the federal, provincial, and municipal level. These include the development of regulations under Ontario's Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019, S.O. 2019, c.13, efforts to enact bans on fur farming federally and in several provinces, promoting the development of alternatives to animal testing and efforts to ban the use of pesticides to kill predators such as wolves, coyotes, and bears.
Role of Student Volunteer(s)
Students will conduct legal research and draft a memo containing their results on the topics listed above.
Is A Work Plan Required For This Position?
Yes, students will meet with the organization at the beginning of placement to determine a deadline schedule for their research (flexible if needed). .
What Type Of Training Will the Organization Provide?
Note: All first year PBSC volunteers and all volunteers working on research projects must also attend a PBSC/Thomson Reuters legal research strategies workshop.
Animal Justice will provide virtual organizational training, an introduction to the field of animal protection law, and other necessary training/resources for the students to work on their projects.
How Many Hours Per Week Will the Student Volunteer(s) Be Expected to Volunteer?
3-5 hours per week.
Will The Student(s) Be Expected To Show Up For Regular Shifts Each Week?
The schedule is flexible, but the students are expected to submit their research on the deadlines set at the start of the placement.
Is Workspace Provided For the Student Volunteer(s)?
No.
Requirements and Expectations
Civil procedure, administrative law, constitutional law, and/or animal law courses considered an asset but not a requirement. An interest in animal rights or the promotion of animal welfare is preferred.