This past school year was a busy one for all things animal law and policy at Vermont Law and Graduate School, and it all started with the launch of a Concentration in Animal Law for JD students. So it’s only fitting that, as we head into a new school year with more exciting developments on the horizon, we take a moment to honor the first-ever students to graduate with this new concentration—Ashely Monti and Michelle Amidzich.
ASHELY MONTI
Ashely Monti (JD/MFALP '21) demonstrated exceptional leadership in environmental law throughout her time at VLGS. She joined us after obtaining a BA in Conservation and Environmental Science (as well as a BA in in Political Science with an emphasis in Law Studies) to fulfill her dream of practicing animal law—a dream she has had since eighth grade, when she learned about the concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) that supply nearly all of the dairy, egg, meat, and poultry products consumed in the United States.
Recognizing that the interests of the environment, humans, and nonhuman animals are inextricably intertwined—particularly when it comes to our food systems—while at VLGS Ashely seized every opportunity to use her burgeoning talents to push for an expansive understanding of justice and to hone her natural advocacy capabilities. She held leadership roles in the Food and Agricultural Law Society, was on the National Moot Court team, and served as a head notes editor for Vermont Law Review (VLR). Her note, FDA Just Say No: Why Using Beta-Agonist Drugs in Animals for Consumption Requires New FDA Regulations, won the VLR Student Note Competition. Ashely also drafted and published an issue brief, Is “Organic” Humane?: The Relationship Between Animal Welfare and USDA Organic, for VLGS’s Center for Agriculture and Food Systems’ Label’s Unwrapped project.
In addition, Ashely served as a student attorney in an animal law litigation clinic, was a research assistant for VLGS Animal Law and Policy Institute director Professor Delci Winders, and clerked for Animal Outlook, an organization dedicated to strategically challenging the status quo of animal agribusiness. Will Lowrey (JD'17), Ashely’s supervisor at Animal Outlook, says: “Ashely’s intellectual curiosity, her innate desire to solve even the most complicated legal problems, and the unwavering standards of quality she set for her work made her an absolute pleasure to work with. Ashely seamlessly bundles these traits with a genuinely good nature and a thoughtful, engaging personality. The sky’s the limit for Ashely's career and I’m eternally thankful she’s chosen to dedicate her talents to helping animals.”
Though Ashely’s passion is dismantling factory farming and ending the harms it inflicts on animals, the environment, and humans, she has also served as a leader at VLGS in other capacities, including a teaching assistant, Dean’s Fellow, Academic Success Program mentor, grief support facilitator, co-leader of a successful effort to add a required Embedded Racism in the Law course to the curriculum, and more. At graduation, Ashley was awarded the Marc Mihaly Environmental Leadership Award as the “student who most demonstrated leadership in the field of environmental law.” Along with one other student, she also earned The Learned Hand Award for Academic Excellence as the JD student with the highest cumulative grade point average.
Ashely has just begun a prestigious clerkship for the Maine Supreme Court.
MICHELLE AMIDZICH
Michelle Amidzich (JD/MFALP '21) was inspired and encouraged to pursue a career in environmental and animal advocacy by her dad and stepdad, who both recognized her passions early. She was mentored to learn that those with knowledge of a system can be those who effectuate change. She came to VLGS after earning a BA in Political Science and minor in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. At VLGS, Michelle obtained the knowledge to advocate for farmed animals, exotic pets, and the earth.
Michelle’s professors and advisors at VLGS describe her as a fabulous person, and her dedication to animal welfare was clear to everyone from the start. Michelle was Editor in Chief of the Vermont Journal of Environmental Law and published her note, Stop Pur-petuating the Norm: Amending the Lacey Act to Include a “Dangerous or Potentially Dangerous Wildlife” Definition for Exotic Pet Protection. Her advisor shared: “She was incredibly enthusiastic in her approach to the note, producing an excellent article that holds interest right from the first line, is well-written, researched and organized. She was an absolute pleasure to work with and has been generous in showing her appreciation for my guidance, a reflection of her overall wonderful-ness.” Appropriately, Michelle’s acknowledgements include a shout-out to her cats, Zeke and Zander “for their never-ending encouragement and support.” In addition, Professor Christine Ryan said Michelle was a superstar in her Advanced Environmental Legal Research Course, and described her research guide, Strengthening the Animal Welfare Act to Curb Wildlife Trafficking, Diseases, and Exotic Pet Ownership, as “detailed, focused, and outstanding.”
While at VLGS, Michelle interned for the U.S. Department of Interior Office of the Solicitor, Boston Field Office, where she worked on a variety of issues including the Endangered Species Act, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), and Lacey Act. She was also a research assistant for the Harvard Animal Law & Policy Program where she investigated the role of animal markets in the spread of zoonotic diseases.
In addition to her myriad impressive accomplishments at the intersection of environmental and animal law, while at VLGS Michelle served as a Legal Writing Mentor, Dean’s Fellow, and played an instrumental role with the school’s Organic Waste Diversion Project. Michelle was also an active member of the Student Bar Association, serving on several committees and assisting with efforts to add a Critical Race and Intersectional Theories Class to the curriculum.
At graduation, VLGS recognized Michelle as “the student who best represents a combination of scholarship and leadership” by awarding her the American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education Scholarship and Leadership Award.
Michelle recently began a clerkship with the Rhode Island Trial Court.
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT
After their clerkships, we look forward to seeing Ashely and Michelle use their fierce compassion and carefully honed legal advocacy skills to help create systems that are more just for animals, humans, and the planet. These two graduates exemplify the students VLGS and the Animal Law and Policy Institute hopes to draw, train, and support in fulfilling their dreams to change the world.