Matthew Liebman

Matthew Liebman is the Justice for Animals endowed chair and professor of law at USF School of Law. An internationally recognized expert in animal law, he has published in leading law reviews on how the legal system can recognize and respect the rights of nonhumans.

Research focuses on:

• Socio-legal effects of law and litigation in animal rights movement
• Substantive and doctrinal issues in animal law
• First Amendment rights of activists
• Establishing legal rights for nonhuman animals

Publications examine animal law in diverse contexts including liberation movements, plaintiff rights, and comparative legal frameworks. Recent works analyze representation challenges and jurisdictional approaches to animal protection.

Awards:

• Deborah Rhode Prize (2024)
• California Trailblazers recognition (2019)