The Animal Legal Defense Fund and the Center for Animal Law Studies are excited to announce that we now are accepting proposals for the 34th annual Animal Law Conference, taking place October 16-18, 2026, in Washington, DC AND for the 35th anniversary Animal Law Conference, taking place March 12-14, 2027, in Portland, OR.   

We invite submission of proposals for speakers to discuss topics that will appeal to law students, legal professionals, legal scholars, and general animal advocates. The conference organizers may combine these individual proposals into larger panels and will use their discretion to select speakers and curate discussions that will have the broadest appeal to conference attendees. Due to the volume of submissions we receive, we will be unable to provide feedback on proposals that are not selected.  

Special Instructions for Proposals: 

• You must be available to speak in-person either at the 2026 Animal Law Conference in Washington, DC, October 16-18, 2026, or at the 2027 Animal Law Conference in Portland, OR, March 12-14, 2027.  

• All conference sessions will be 75 minutes long, with 60 minutes for presentations and 15 minutes for Q&A. Conference sessions will be either a panel format with multiple, individual presentations, or a roundtable discussion with 2-3 other speakers. Proposals should include content that is appropriate to be discussed within a range of 15-20 minutes, with time allocated depending upon the number of panelists, in either of the above formats. 

• Preference will be given to proposals that address topics not recently covered at the conference and to presenters who have not recently presented at the conference. Please view the 2025 agenda and the 2024 agenda. 

Individuals selected to speak will have their travel to either Washington, DC or Portland, OR reimbursed for up to $500 in approved travel expenses and be provided with two nights’ accommodation at the conference venue. Speakers will be required to participate in a virtual planning meeting beforehand and to submit supporting materials / PowerPoint presentations in advance. Please submit your proposal below by March 15, 2026. Proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so submitting early is encouraged, but please note that invitations may not be extended until the deadline for submissions has passed. Questions should be directed to events@aldf.org.