THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS SCHOLARS
Because ISAR’s founder and long-time chairman, Professor Henry Mark Holzer, has for decades recognized and championed the teaching of Animal Law in United States law schools several years ago, we budgeted up to $100,000 for that purpose.
Unwilling to leave legal education of the coming generations of Animal Law practitioners to law schools’ typical three-year curriculum, ISAR has provided scholarship support to the Lewis & Clark Law School’s LL.M program at its Center for Animal Law Studies.
ISAR’s first scholarship—the International Society for Animal Rights/Helen Jones Memorial Scholarship academic year 2018-2019—was awarded to Australian lawyer Tess Vickery.
On April 29, 2019, Tess wrote:
Dear ISAR,
I am writing to let you know that I have completed my LLM studies at Lewis & Clark today!
It has been such a wonderful year. I have learnt so much about the American animal law movement and have really enjoyed being a part of the animal law community here. It makes me excited to go back home and continue to help build the movement in Australia.
When I return to Australia at the end of May, I plan to continue to provide assistance to a non-profit running consumer law cases against backyard breeders/puppy mills, and being involved with my state bar committee on animal law, as well as other work that comes my way.
Thank you again.
Tess
On May 22, 2019, Tess wrote:
I wanted to give you both a quick update on my plans for when I return to Australia.
A few days ago, I was offered (and have now accepted) a full-time position as legal and policy advisor to a member of the Australian Animal Justice Party, who was recently elected to parliament in my home state. I start a week after I get home from the United States. I’m so thrilled and really exciting to get started!
I’m confident I wouldn’t have been chosen for the position without the Animal Law LLM degree, which was only made possible due to your generous support, so thank you very much!
Kind regards
Tess
Due to the success of the Helen Jones Memorial Scholarship, for the next academic year 2019-2020, ISAR awarded the International Society for Animal Rights/Alice Herrington Memorial Scholarship, to Chilean lawyer Diego Plaza.
Mr. Plaza completed his LL.M studies, graduated with honors, and received the Cornelius Honor Society award for academic excellence.
On August 9, 2019, Diego wrote:
Dear ISAR,
My name is Diego Plaza Casanova, I’m a Chilean lawyer, and I’m about to start my LL.M. studies in Animal Law in the prestigious and unique Lewis & Clark Law School, thanks to you, your generosity and your vision.
Since I was a child I have this enormous love for animals, and before becoming a lawyer I knew that I wanted to dedicate my professional career to the development of animal law.
My dream is to contribute to the cultural change that may recognize the animal’s dignity and sentience. To achieve this goal, I want to create an NGO with the purpose of serving as a center of animal law studies, as a center of private and free legal advice, and as an instance of multidisciplinary cooperation and direct action, gathering professionals from diverse areas, for the generation of campaigns, interventions, multimedia content and concrete actions.
That been said, I realized that I needed to study animal law in order to understand not only the philosophical and sociological background of the laws and regulations that govern the way humans treat animals, but also the international and compared experience in the field, as well as the solutions that human intellect has offered to face diverse ethical issues that haven’t been solved yet.
However, none of these goals would have the chance of becoming true if it wasn’t for you. The program tuition fees, in comparison with those required in Chile, as well as the cost of life in Portland, constituted an impediment for me to study here. That being said, you can’t really imagine how grateful I am. Having the chance to study Animal Law in Lewis & Clark was a dream that I never really thought would come true.
Warmly,
Diego F. Plaza
On December 26, 2019, Diego wrote:
Dear ISAR,
Well, I am pleased to tell you that during the month of May I successfully completed my LLM in Animal Law at the wonderful Lewis & Clark Law School. I had the privilege of graduating with honors, and of receiving the Cornelius Honor Society distinction, conferred to those who stand out for their leadership and academic excellence. In addition, I was honored to be invited by Harvard Law School and the Max Planck Institute to collaborate on a global handbook on animal law to be published in 2022 by Oxford University Press. In that project, I will write a chapter about Chile and its emerging animal law.
I arrived in Chile about 3 weeks ago, and I am currently working on a large number of animal projects. First of all, I am working week by week at my center for animal law studies CEDA Chile, generating contents and carrying out legal research in Chilean animal law. Together with CEDA, we are participating in an animal advocacy coalition in order to face legislative proceedings. I have also been writing articles for different media and participating in talks about various animal issues (for example, this Thursday we will talk about abolitionism and other non-utilitarian views, on “Instagram live”). I was even asked to issue advisory opinions from the Ministry of the Interior regarding a “Hunting” bill for dogs. The opinion was demolishing and I doubt they’ll call me again.
Along with this, I am working on a “post-abolitionist” theory based in part on the theory of power -and “law”- postulated by Michel Foucault. This should be ready in a couple of months, and will be part of a Latin American publication on animal law. I have sent some other papers to Chilean and foreign publications, and I will speak about Chilean salmon farming at the animal law colloquiums to be held at the Universidad Central de Chile in December.
In addition, I am taking 3 animal courses via e-learning from Duke, Edinburgh, and Alberta Universities. And well, I am also about to begin the process of setting up another NGO that will aim to develop strategic animal litigation, among other things.
Anyway, I’m not sure I’ve mentioned all my current plans and projects, but I think it’s enough for you to get a sense of the tremendous impact that your aid is having -and will have- on non-human animals. For me, the possibility of having studied at L&C and CALS was a turning point in my professional, intellectual and philosophical development, and none of this would have been possible without your help, your vision, and of course, all the work that you have developed for years.
I think it is impossible for me to find the proper words of appreciation to express what I feel. You and your organization will always be an important part of my life and I hope to be a rightful successor to your work and legacy. I hope that one day I will be able to do the same for others, and in this way contribute to the improvement of the relationship between human and non-human animals, from the field of law and from other fields of action.
I hope that we will keep in touch. And don’t forget that you can always count on me for anything, particularly for any collaboration that tends to liberate animals from the different power relations to which we have subjected them.
Take care of yourselves.
And thank you very much for everything.
Warmest regards,
Diego
ISAR’s third Animal Law LL.M scholarship, the annual International Society for Animal Rights/Joyce Tischler Scholarship—named for attorney, current law professor, founder and former president of the Animal Legal Defense Fund—was awarded to an outstanding Brazilian attorney, Vanessa Gischkow Garbini for the 2021-2022 academic year.
On January 12, 2022, Vanessa wrote:
Dear ISAR,
My name is Vanessa Gischkow Garbini. I am an animal attorney from Brazil and the fortunate recipient of this year’s “Joyce Tischler Scholarship for Animal Law Education.” Your generous contribution made it possible for me to come to the United States to attend the Animal Law LLM Program at Lewis & Clark Law School.
Let me share with you a bit of my history with the animal cause. I have been an activist for animals since 2017, when I started volunteering for the Brazilian Vegetarian Society (SVB). SVB is a non-profit organization that promotes vegetarian and vegan food as an ethical, healthy, sustainable and socially just choice. I am currently a Local Coordinator at this NGO, and lead a group of amazing and tireless volunteers.
Learning about the huge impact that the food industry has on animal welfare made me decide that it would be my main field of action. For that reason, I was especially delighted to have been awarded Professor Tischler’s scholarship, as Industrial Animal Agriculture Law is one of her specialty areas. One issue that has been calling my attention is the animal welfare issues involved in the slaughtering of pregnant cows. I have started researching that matter using a comparative law perspective, and wrote the first draft of a short paper that I intend to improve upon and develop during this spring term.
Professor Holzer, it was through Professor Tischler’s “The History of Animal Law” article that I learned the details of your impressive trajectory in building animal law in the United States, a journey that started with a donation and ended up becoming a life purpose. I am beyond grateful for being a beneficiary of another one of your and ISAR’s generous projects and, thereby, having the opportunity to contribute to what is also my life purpose: developing rights and protections for animals.
Attending this LLM Program is a dream come true for me. This fall, I completed courses in Introduction to U.S. Legal Studies, Emerging Topics in Animal Law A, International Animal Law, Animal Legal Philosophy, Animal Law Legislation and Lobby, Food Law, Animals in the Law and International Wildlife Clinic. This spring, I am taking the following courses: Emerging Topics in Animal Law B, Environmental Justice, Industrial Animal Agriculture, Crimes Against Animals and International Wildlife Clinic.
Your support, that makes it possible for me to receive this extraordinary education goes above and beyond the scholarship. If we students have the privilege of pursuing a degree fully and exclusively in Animal Law today, it is thanks to the professors and professionals who laid the foundations for the field to exist in the first place. Professor Holzer, as you mentioned in this year’s virtual event hosted by the Center for Animal Law Studies in your and Professor Tischler’s honor, you left us a “potent weapon to fight for animal rights” called Animal Law, and I could not imagine a more precious legacy.
Thank you so much, and please don’t hesitate to ask any questions that you have about my studies and my future plans.
Sincerely,
Vanessa Gischkow Garbini
On June 9, 2022, Vanessa wrote:
Dear ISAR,
May 21st was the date of the Commencement Celebration of the Animal Law in-person LLM class of Spring 2022, and the official closing of this incredible academic year. Participating in this Program marked the beginning of the animal law career I dreamed about for so long – and that, thanks to the ISAR scholarship, is now coming true.
In my last note to you, I had the opportunity to introduce myself and share a bit of my story with animal law and the animal protection movement. I was excited about everything I had learned during Fall Term and was looking forward to what Spring Term had in store. The Spring Term courses were all amazing, but two of them stood out for me because of their priceless contribution to my future professional plans.
The first one was the Industrial Animal Agriculture Law Course with Professor Joyce Tischler. I was already familiar with Professor Tischler’s remarkable work long before I started the LLM program. Yet, her way of teaching, the high quality of class materials, and the amazing guest speakers she brought to our classes exceeded all my expectations. As I mentioned in my previous note, farmed animals’ welfare is my main field of interest; thus, that experience meant the world to me. Besides finishing my article on the slaughtering of pregnant cows, thanks to Professor Tischler I am now preparing to speak about Industrial Animal Agriculture and Farming Systems in Brazil at a Conference hosted by the UK Centre for Animal Law in July.
The second highlight of the past semester was the Environmental Justice course, taught by Professor Lisa Benjamin. I decided to take this course, which is offered by the Environmental Law Program, to understand more about the subject. Yet, my experience from the Animal Law classes made me notice that, despite the connections of both issues, the Environmental Justice theory does not approach animal welfare enough. That understanding inspired me to create a research project that has, as a final goal, supporting the inclusion of animal protection in the Environmental Justice theory and practice.
I am delighted to share that because of that project, I was offered a Visiting Fellow position with the Animal Law & Policy Program at Harvard Law School. I am currently preparing to move to Boston for the Fellowship, which will start in September. During my time there, I will cover one specific aspect of my earlier research project, which is the situation of farmed animals in CAFOs. I intend to demonstrate that improving the welfare of farmed animals meets and contributes to the Environmental Justice objective, and that, therefore, the former must be encompassed by the latter.
Your kind contribution is what helped me to pave this very exciting path. I am looking forward to the future achievements for animals I will hopefully be able to offer. But I will always remember it all started with this Animal Law LLM program and with your generosity.
Thank you very much!
Sincerely,
Vanessa Gischkow Garbini
The recipient of the annual International Society for Animal Rights/Joyce Tischler Scholarship for the 2022-2023 academic year is Motunrayo (Mo) Esan, an outstanding female attorney from Nigeria.
Motunrayo’s curriculum vitae follows:
EDUCATION
2020-2022
Institutions Babcock University, Nigeria
LL.M with dissertation on Global Animal Law.
Distinctions in International Humanitarian Law (80%) and Law of International (77%).
2015-2020 Babcock University, Nigeria
LL.B in Law (Second Class Upper with Honours).
Awarded the best student in Public International Law with the grade (80%). Distinctions in
Jurisprudence & Legal Theory (82%), Maritime Law (80%) and Law of Arbitration (80%).
2009-2015 Adesoye College, Offa Awarded as the most outstanding student and the best in English Language, Literature in English, Government and History.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Oct 2021-Present Cambridge Centre for Animal Rights Law, University of Cambridge Part-time Research Assistant: Competition Law Dr Sean Butler (Co-founder & Director) • Supporting the research in contribution to the Chapter 8 of an Animal Rights Law textbook forthcoming in 2022. • Performing general tasks in relation to the publishing of the book including proofreading, reference formatting and literature reviews.
Oct 2021-Present
Cambridge Centre for Animal Rights Law, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
Part-time Research Assistant: Competition Law
Dr Sean Butler (Co-founder & Director)
• Supporting the research in contribution to the Chapter 8 of an Animal Rights
Law textbook forthcoming in 2022.
• Performing general tasks in relation to the publishing of the book including proofreading, reference formatting and literature reviews.
Oct 2021-Present Carnelian Journal of Law and Politics, Lagos, Nigeria
Editorial Assistant: International Law
Professor Ayoyemi Arowolo (Editor-in-Chief)
• Editing, proofreading and formatting submitted manuscripts to journal standards,
• Working closely with the editorial board to produce scholarly papers in the biannual law journal.
Jan 2020-May 2021 Babcock University, Department of International Law, Ogun, NigeriaResearch Intern: Third World Approaches to International Law
Professor Nsongurua Udombana (Lead)
• Studied and analysed the toxic relationship between the International
Criminal Court and the African Union in contribution to a chapter on a book:
The African Union in International Law: Selected Studies (John Archers,2020),
• Performed impact assessments on the efforts of the United Nations towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and advancing human rightsthrough regional institutions
Sept 2019-Jun 2020 University of Ibadan Ogun, NigeriaUndergraduate Research Assistant:
Dr. Olubukola Olugasa (Tutor)
• Research Topic: To What Extent Are Veterinary Officers Law
Enforcement Agents in the Prevention of Rabies in West Africa?
• Compiled an academic paper presenting the technical arguments and results in favour of the incorporation of technology in legal education and research in West-African Universities.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Sept 2020
Olaniwun Ajayi LP, Lagos, Nigeria
Intern: Power & Infrastructure
• Coordinated other interns into subgroups for various tasks and drafted court processes and researched into current legal trends surrounding litigation in Nigerian courts.
• Produced a research text analysing inconsistent judgements of superior courts while being recognised as the best intern in my cohort.
May-June 2019 Sportlicitors
Intern: Sports Law (Tosin Akinyemi, Founder & Managing Partner), Ogun, Nigeria
• Led other interns in research on Force Majure and Termination of Football Employment contracts and presented a research paper on the impact of COVID-19 on FIFA Regulations.
• Carried out an analysis on the terms and conditions of age misrepresentation among minor players. Aug 2019 Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie (Tier-1 Law Firm in Nigeria), Lagos, Nigeria
Intern: Corporate Advisory and Dispute Resolution, Uzofu Ogiemudia
(Partner)
• Co-ordinated and interacted with other interns in ensuring balanced rotation across all practice groups of the firm.
• Attended training workshops on legal research and law library management and reviewed briefs and edited case notes on workplace harassment suits and specific defamation suits in Nigeria.
• Led the interns in a presentation on the Liability of Herdsmen Activities in Southern Nigeria
June-July 2019 Oladipo Olasope SAN & Co (Legal Practitioners), Oyo, Nigeria
Intern: Dispute Resolution
• Prepared and presented a paper on the doctrine of corporate personality.
• Attended court sessions daily on pending suits bordering on criminal charges and debt settlement.
• Facilitated weekly intern meetings and presented with co-interns to team leads on my research and proposed dissertation topic.
PAPER PRESENTATIONS
‣ Esan M., ‘Regulating Security Dogs in Nigeria’ Diverse Law Student Blog, August 2021 • Esan M., ‘Towards a Rabiesfree Africa: Oral Vaccinations, COVID-19 and Zero by 30’ 7th Rabies in West Africa Conference, May 2021.
‣ Esan M., ‘Goddesses and Feminism in Yoruba Culture’ 6th J. A. Atanda Lectures and Conference, June 2021.
‣ Olugasa O and Esan M., ‘Legal Perspectives on Animal Rights’ 6th Rabies in West Africa Conference, February 2020
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
‣ Institute of Company Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN)
‣ Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, UK (Membership Number: 6022475)
POSITIONS OF RESPONSIBILITY
‣ [Oct 2020-Present] Founder- Refine (Editors and Proof-readers), a closed WhatsApp group for young academics to interact and share resources.
‣ [Jan 2021-Nov 2021] Student Representative- Babcock University College of Postgraduate Studies: Lead student in publicising the post graduate program to prospective undergraduates and marketing of the merchandise of the department to other colleges leading to increased applications for the coming academic year.
‣ [April 2017-Jul 2019] Attorney General- Law Students Association of Nigeria: Responsibilities included management of all debates and mock trials on campus and interacted closely with a team of 30, through weekly meetings to organize the largest advocacy competition in Nigeria.
‣ [Oct 2018-April 2019] Lead Organiser- 3rd I. O. Agbede National Advocacy Competition: Organised a debate and moot competition of students across nine universities in Nigeria, drafted mock facts & debate topics for the competitorsand created promotional materials for sensitisation and fundraising.
VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES
‣ UK Centre for Animal Law (A-Law): Represented the organisation in the African Animal Welfare Conference, October 2019 and conference planning project for the 2022 virtual animal law conference.
‣ TechSavvy Network: Mentoring undergraduate law students on the interface between technology & law and hosting webinars on career prospects in law.
‣ Organisation for Rabies Prevention in West-Africa (RIWA): Responsibilities include organising conferences that enjoin governments and international organisations to make rabies prevention a priority and managing discussions on facilitating ending canine rabies in Africa by 2030.
OTHER
‣ Interests: Runway modelling, gardening and security dog training.
‣ IT Proficiency: Advanced level user of Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft Word.
‣ Languages: Native English, Fluent Nigerian Yoruba, and Beginner French.
The words “force multiplier” are usually found in military usage. One apt definition is “A capability that, when added to and employed by a combat force, significantly increases the combat potential of that force and thus enhances the probability of successful mission accomplishment.” For example, a fleet of drone craft can simplify reconnaissance to where a handful of analysts can do the work of hundreds.
In physics, a force multiplier, such as a lever or wedge, increases the amount of force you can place on an object. In military terms, a force multiplier makes a military force more effective.
Tess Vickery (Australia) now has “a full-time position as legal and policy advisor to a member of the Australian Animal Justice Party, who was recently elected to parliament in my home state.”
Diego F. Plaza (Chile) is “currently working on a large number of animal projects.”
Vanessa Gischkow Garbini (Brazil) “is now preparing to speak about Industrial Animal Agriculture and Farming Systems in Brazil at a Conference hosted by the UK Centre for Animal Law in July.” Ms. Garbini was offered “a Visiting Fellow position with the Animal Law & Policy Program at Harvard Law School. During my time there, I will cover one specific aspect of my earlier research project, which is the situation of farmed animals in CAFOs [factory farms].”
ISAR’s substantial financial contributions to four Lewis & Clark LLM scholarships has created in Australia, Chile, Brazil and Nigeria force multipliers of the first magnitude.
We will continue to do so, with the support of our contributors and supporters.
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