The State Bar of Michigan’s Animal Law Section recently presented its Wanda Nash Award to Eli Massey, a third-year student at Michigan Law. The award, named after the section’s founder, annually recognizes a student or students at one of Michigan’s law schools for their contributions to the field of animal law. This marks the second consecutive year a Michigan Law student has received this award.
Massey shares this accolade with Lauren Duguid, a third-year student at Michigan State University College of Law. Professor Nicolas Cornell, who nominated Massey, presented him with the award during a ceremony at the Law School in April.
“It’s great to have a student win the Wanda Nash Award two years in a row,” said Cornell, referencing last year’s recipient, Annie Sloan, ’23. “The award is for all of Eli’s work, not just his work in our Animal Law class. It’s clear that he has cared about this topic for a long time, and I think the class was a capstone for him.”
I decided to go to law school when I learned that, through movement lawyering, I could use the courts and legal system—in collaboration with social movements—to help advance the causes I believe in.”
A broad passion for advocacy
Massey’s interest in animal law was driven by his activist background and experience as an independent journalist, editor, and researcher. He has written on climate change, LGBTQ rights, and immigration rights, and he labels himself an abolitionist, saying, “I don’t believe people should be in cages, and I don’t believe animals should be in cages.”
Though his advocacy writing reached audiences with similar interests and goals to his own, he was inspired to dive deeper when he learned about movement lawyering.
“When I wrote a successful article, it would receive a lot of clicks or shares, which was great, but I wanted to help people more directly,” he said. “I decided to go to law school when I learned that, through movement lawyering, I could use the courts and legal system—in collaboration with social movements—to help advance the causes I believe in.”
Massey interned with the Civil Liberties Defense Center in Eugene, Oregon, the summer after his 2L year. Then, as a 3L, he participated in the Civil Rights Litigation Initiative under the supervision of Professor Michael Steinberg. As a student-attorney there, he was involved with a case that represented media organizations that are creating a database to track “wandering officers,” a phenomenon where police officers who are fired or dismissed for disciplinary reasons leave one jurisdiction and go to another without their misconduct being shared between departments. Another case Massey worked on concerned housing discrimination in Ann Arbor, particularly involving income source discrimination.
Massey, an advocate for veganism, has long cared about the rights and treatment of animals. When he learned that Cornell was teaching an animal law class, he eagerly enrolled. His willingness to challenge conventional perspectives left an impression on the classroom.
“During the class, Eli was unafraid to raise his hand and say, ‘Aren’t we missing the big picture?’ or ‘We’re not being radical enough,’” recalled Cornell. “I appreciated him doing that, and I think it benefitted the rest of the classroom.”
Cornell acknowledged that animal law and advocacy are generally challenging. He noted, however, that Massey retained the grit throughout the semester that he entered the class with.
“Eli was never jaded; he kept plugging along with the same energy, enthusiasm, and smile on his face, which was inspiring,” said Cornell.
Now recently graduated from the Law School, Massey plans to work as a public defender in New York City while continuing his activism and advocacy.
“For the work that I want to do—public defense, criminal defense for activists, and movement lawyering—you need to have a good handle on the fundamentals and foundations of criminal procedure,” said Massey. “Michigan Law’s stellar academics and faculty have helped me feel prepared to enter those spaces.”
Banner Photo: Representatives from the State Bar of Michigan presented the 2024 Wanda Nash Award to 3L Eli Massey during a recent ceremony at the Law School. Pictured from left to right: Ravil Ashirov (3L), Stijn van Osch (’12), Omar Seifeldin (3L), Bee Friedlander (founding member of the State Bar of Michigan Animal Law Section), Eli Massey (3L), Don Garlit (founding member of the State Bar of Michigan Animal Law Section), Professor Nicolas Cornell, Luke Beyer (3L), and Hannah Lefton (3L).
