Vince Field, '11, Receives ALDF Advancement of Animal Law Scholarship

Vince Field, '11, Receives 2010-11 ALDF Advancement of Animal Law Scholarship

The Animal Legal Defense Fund’s (ALDF) Advancement of Animal Law Scholarships are awarded to second- and third-year law student members of Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF) chapters based upon demonstrated commitment to ALDF’s mission – to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. Scholarship recipients also act as mentors for their chapter after graduation.

Three students received the national scholarship this year for their outstanding work in the growing field of animal law: Katie Barnett, Vince Field, and Christina Fojas. “They are exceptional students who have demonstrated their commitment to advancing animal law, and for that ALDF is proud to award them these $5,000 scholarships,” says Stephens Wells, ALDF’s executive director.

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Vince Field is a 2L at the University of Chicago Law School, where he founded the University of Chicago’s Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF) chapter in 2008.

Since its inception, their chapter has been very active in promoting animal protection issues at the law school. They successfully petitioned the administration for an animal law course – the first such course ever offered at the University of Chicago. This class is currently being taught for the second time in as many years, and it is their goal is to make it a permanent offering. As a 1L, Vince also helped plan and organize a first-of-its-kind Animal Law Week -- a weeklong series of talks on a range of animal welfare issues that attracted speakers from across the country. This month, the SALDF chapter will host the 2nd Annual Animal Law Week, centered on a series of debates on “hot topics” in animal law including the recent Supreme Court decision in U.S. v. Stevens, animal abuser registry legislation, and the proper valuation of companion animals in lawsuits seeking damages.

Currently, Vince is overseeing two large scale service projects with his SALDF chapter. The first involves working with local shelters to provide refuge for domestic violence victims and their pets. The second is geared towards setting up a series of pet food donation boxes to regularly provide food for the pets of the homeless free of charge.

Read more at ALDF News