The Animal Law Conference has been at the forefront of the animal protection movement for over four decades.

It all began in 1982, when the Animal Legal Defense Fund hosted the first-ever animal law conference in San Francisco, California. These early gatherings set the stage for a growing national dialogue around animals and the law.

In 1993, a group of passionate students from Lewis & Clark Law School held a one-day symposium focused on wildlife issues. That event marked the beginning of an annual tradition that would become the Animal Law Conference at Lewis & Clark — one of the first academic conferences in the country dedicated to animal law.

As the movement grew, so did the conference.

With the founding of the Center for Animal Law Studies (CALS) at Lewis & Clark in 2008, and the ongoing support of the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the conference became a hub for legal scholars, advocates, practitioners, and students from around the world.

In 2013, the Animal Legal Defense Fund and CALS formally joined forces to co-present The Animal Law Conference, combining their decades of experience and vision. This partnership elevated the conference to national prominence as the preeminent annual event in the field of animal law.

Today, the conference alternates between Portland, Oregon, and other cities across the U.S., ensuring greater access to this vital conversation. From its grassroots origins to its current stature, the Animal Law Conference remains a powerful gathering place for those working to advance legal protections for animals.