The Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law & Policy

What The Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law & Policy does

The Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law & Policy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and private operating foundation headquartered in Wheaton, Illinois, founded in November 2017 to advance animal law academics, scholarship, and practice. It operates as an animal law think-and-do tank, funding its activities through a benefactor legacy from Brooks McCormick Jr. (who died in 2015) and tax-deductible donations. The organization runs a portfolio of educational resources, scholarly publications, and professional programs serving US and Canadian law students, academics, practitioners, and animal protection advocates.

Its core products include the Brooks Animal Law Digests (US edition published weekly in partnership with Harvard Law School, Canada edition twice monthly with the University of Toronto, and a quarterly Scholarship Digest with the University of Denver); the Animal Law Fundamentals documentary-style video series; the Animal Law Practice Association (ALPA) for practicing attorneys; the Animal Law Fundamentals and Living Bibliography Project (inaugural Cephalopod Cognition and Sentience report published February 2025); and signature events including the invitation-only Brooks Congress (70+ delegates), the Brooks Annual Workshop for Scholars (BAWS), and SAILS. Talent pipeline programs include the Emerging Scholars Fellowship ($2,000/month stipend for 2L/3L students), the Scholars Research Fellowship, and the Premier LLM Fellowship (full tuition at Lewis & Clark and Vermont Law partner institutions).

The underlying technology is a conventional website CMS (thebrooksinstitute.org) with email subscription systems, YouTube video hosting, social media profiles (LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram), and Mapbox-based event mapping. The business model is donation- and endowment-funded rather than fee-based: digests, ALPA membership, and video library access are free public resources, while fellowship recipients receive financial support. Strategic academic partnerships with Harvard Law School, the University of Toronto, the University of Denver, Lewis & Clark, and Vermont Law underpin content production and credentialing programs.

Name

The Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law & Policy

Legal name

Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law & Policy, Inc.

Website

https://www.thebrooksinstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Brooks Institute is a 501(c)(3) animal law think-and-do tank founded in 2017 that funds fellowships, publishes weekly legal digests, produces educational videos, and convenes scholars and practitioners to advance animal law scholarship and practice.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Education and Animal Law Advocacy Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Advocacy, Policy & Public Awareness (Animal Welfare) (BPAGAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Animal Welfare & Advocacy Organizations (AFAEALAC)

Keywords

• Animal law scholarship
• Legal education programs
• Nonprofit think tank
• Animal policy research
• Law fellowships

Headquarters

HQ city

Wheaton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The Brooks Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and private operating foundation under Internal Revenue Code section 4942(j)(3). It accepts donations, legacies, and planned giving from supporters who wish to advance animal law and policy. Donations are tax-deductible for federal income tax purposes.
2. Benefactor Legacy: Founded in 2017 by Brooks McCormick Jr. (who passed away in 2015) to realize his vision and legacy of creating opportunity for profound change in animal rights law and policy through his wealth and vision.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

The Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law & Policy is a 501(c)(3) operating foundation that functions as a think-and-do tank for animal law. It delivers free, neutral educational and scholarly programming—including publications, video courses, fellowships, and convenings—aimed at advancing animal law academics, scholarship, and practice for individual students, scholars, practitioners, and the animal protection community.

Product overview

The Brooks Institute is an animal law think-and-do tank offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational resources, scholarly publications, professional networks, and fellowship programs. The core offerings include the Brooks Animal Law Digests (US and Canada editions) providing weekly/bimonthly legal updates; the Animal Law Fundamentals video series with scholarly papers; the Animal Law Practice Association (ALPA) for professional development; the Brooks Congress annual convening; Brooks Annual Workshop for Scholars (BAWS); the SAILS collaborative workgroup; the ESA: The Next 50 Years conference series; and the Living Bibliography Project on animal sentience science. The Institute also maintains a Video Library, Reports & Papers repository, Reading and Media Resources bibliography, and Events Calendar with map integration. Fellowship programs include Emerging Scholars Fellowship, Scholars Research Fellowship, and Premier LLM Fellowship.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brooks Animal Law Digests Email-published digests providing curated animal law news, scholarship summaries, and analysis, distributed free to subscribers including students, scholars, practitioners, and the animal protection community.
• Animal Law Fundamentals Free video series introducing the foundational concepts, frameworks, and entry points of animal law, designed for law students, early-career professionals, and the broader animal protection community.
• Animal Law Practice Association (ALPA) Free-membership community for animal law practitioners providing networking, curated scholarship, and practice-supporting resources within a neutral professional environment.
• Brooks Congress Major recurring convening that brings together animal law scholars, practitioners, and policymakers for scholarly exchange and interdisciplinary dialogue.
• Brooks Annual Workshop for Scholars (BAWS) Annual scholarly workshop that provides animal law scholars with a venue for presenting works-in-progress, receiving peer feedback, and developing research.
• Emerging Scholars Fellowship Stipended entry-level fellowship within the Institute's talent-development pipeline, supporting early-stage law students and emerging scholars exploring and entering animal law.
• Scholars Research Fellowship Stipended mid-stage research fellowship providing mentored research support and resources for animal law scholars advancing substantive research projects.
• Premier LLM Fellowship Stipended advanced fellowship supporting LLM-level study and specialization in animal law for practitioners and scholars pursuing graduate-level credentials.
• Living Bibliography Project Curated, continuously updated online bibliography of animal law references and scholarship serving as foundational knowledge infrastructure for students, scholars, and practitioners.
• Reports and Papers

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Brooks McCormick Jr. Animal Law & Policy Program at Harvard Law SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of ESA: The Next 50 Years conference hosted at Harvard Law School. Provides support for the US Edition of the Brooks Animal Law Digest published weekly.
• Henry N.R. Jackman Faculty of Law at University of TorontocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with Brooks Institute on the Canada Edition of the Animal Law Digest, published twice monthly, providing Canadian-specific coverage of animal law developments.
• Animal Law Program at University of Denver Sturm College of LawcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on the Scholarship Digest published quarterly, highlighting research from scholarly journals and publications in animal law and policy.
• Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark Law SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution for Premier LLM Fellowship program providing full tuition scholarship for mid-career animal law advocates pursuing an Animal Law LLM.
• Animal Law and Policy Institute at Vermont Law and Graduate SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution for Premier LLM Fellowship program providing full tuition scholarship for mid-career animal law advocates pursuing an Animal Law LLM.
• Emmett Environmental Law & Policy Clinic at Harvard Law SchoolmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the Endangered Species Act: The Next 50 Years conference reflecting on the successes and challenges of the ESA at its 50th anniversary.
• Animal Law Programs (various law schools)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrooks Institute has worked with leading animal law programs to revive the National Animal Law Competitions after a long hiatus, providing law students opportunities to develop animal law knowledge and advocacy skills.
• North American Animal Law Conference (Canadian Animal Law Conference Scholars Track)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative conference series showcasing excellence in animal law and policy scholarship to inspire deeper thought and discussion among scholarly peers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Animal Legal Defense Fund: National nonprofit legal advocacy organization advancing animal law through litigation, legislation, and education. Direct peer in the animal law advocacy and scholarship space; Brooks Institute has received recognition from ALDF for leadership in the field.
• Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark Law School: The leading academic center for animal law in the U.S., offering the nation's first LLM in Animal Law. Direct peer in producing animal law scholarship and training; also a partner institution for Brooks Institute's Premier LLM Fellowship.
• Harvard Animal Law & Policy Program: Academic program at Harvard Law School advancing scholarship and policy on animal law. Direct peer producing animal law research and convenings; current Brooks Institute Executive Committee member (Kristen Stilt) leads the program, and it co-sponsors the Brooks Animal Law Digest.
• Animal Law Program at University of Denver Sturm College of Law: Academic program at Denver Law focused on animal law scholarship and litigation. Direct peer in animal law scholarship; collaborates with Brooks Institute on the Scholarship Digest and hosts Brooks-funded educational video content.
• Animal Law and Policy Institute at Vermont Law and Graduate School: Academic institute at Vermont Law training animal law advocates and producing policy scholarship. Direct peer in animal law education; partner institution for Brooks Institute's Premier LLM Fellowship.

Broad incumbents

• Humane Society of the United States: Largest U.S. animal welfare organization, operating across advocacy, direct care, legislation, and litigation. A broad incumbent whose Animal Protection Litigation section overlaps with Brooks Institute's legal/policy focus, though HSUS operates a far wider portfolio of programs.
• ASPCA: Major U.S. animal welfare organization providing direct services, advocacy, and legal action. Broad incumbent with overlapping animal law and policy activity, but with a much larger operational footprint and direct-service orientation versus Brooks Institute's pure think-tank model.

Emerging players

• Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics: U.K.-based academic center producing scholarship and ethics publications on animal issues. Comparable in academic and convening role but geographically regional; Brooks Institute has been recognized as an Honorary Fellow of the Oxford Centre.
• FarmSTAND: Niche legal advocacy project focused on farm animal welfare litigation and policy. Emerging player with overlapping animal law focus; partner ecosystem organization via ALPA committee representation.

Others

• Center for Food Safety: Environmental and food safety nonprofit engaged in litigation and policy advocacy with overlapping animal law interests. Listed partner via shared committee membership (George Kimbrell); adjacent ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BrooksARLP
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCmGpeBr2KS9U317Z-n8ufJg
• Facebookfacebook.com/BrooksARLP
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-brooks-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/thebrooksinstitute

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law & Policy