Clinical Programs

Environmental Justice and the Protection of Animals Rights

“Like winds and sunsets, wild things were taken for granted until progress began to do away with them…We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.”

Aldo Leopold, early 20^th century environmental philosopher and ethicist

Almost a century ago, Aldo Leopold warned on the inherent danger in overexploitation of the environment, and the commodifying of natural resources for trade. A visionary for his time, today Leopold’s words resonate strongly as we face the worst climate crisis known to humankind. Critical analysis of the economic exploitation of environmental resources leads one to ask who benefits, and who loses. This line of questioning is integral in all of the Clinic’s efforts.

The Environmental Justice and the Protection of Animal Rights Clinic (Est. 2001) aims to fight the overexploitation and commodification of environmental resources and living creatures, in theory and practice. At the theoretical level, the Clinic introduces students to fundamental and the most up-to-date approaches on the environment, conservationism, and animal rights, while examining socio-political contexts and encouraging critical thinking. Topics covered include environmental justice; animal rights and welfare; administrative law; constitutional law; civil law (i.e. tort, property and class actions); planning and construction law; and environmental and animal protection law.

The practical work has students engaged in a variety of legal processes, including submitting motions to administrative courts; filing class action lawsuits against industrial polluters; and advancing legislation.

Students participate in all stages of case work, including participation in preliminary meetings; conducting legal analysis; preparing statements of claim; writing position papers; drafting, submitting, and accompanying bills through the Knesset’s legislative procedure; and representing clients at the Small Claims Court, Land Registry Offices, and Settlement of Rights Offices.

Each year, the Clinic hosts environmental activists; public figures; attorneys specializing in environmental and/or animal law; industrialists; respected academics in the field; and representatives from the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and environmental and animal rights NGOs.

The Clinic is proud to be an integral part of the Coller-Menmon Program for Animal Rights and Welfare at the Faculty of Law.