CHICAGO, April 27, 2023 — Jane McBride, a member of the Illinois State Water Survey Advisory Board and Illinois state representative for Project Coyote, will receive the American Bar Association Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section’s Animal Law Committee Excellence in the Advancement of Animal Law Award during the TIPS & YLD Section Conference, May 3-6, at the Marriott Marquis in New York. McBride is a former TIPS Animal Law Committee chair and founder and president of Illinois Humane.
The award, which will be presented at an afternoon reception on May 4, recognizes exceptional work by an Animal Law Committee member who, through commitment and leadership, has advanced the humane treatment of animals through the law.
During McBride’s tenure as committee chair, she led a collaboration with the National Judicial College to develop a series of webinars on animal law. Judges now have more extensive awareness and familiarity with animal law, animal interests and well-being. This groundbreaking initiative formed a continuing legal education program that has become essential training for judges, advanced the practice of animal law before the judiciary and promoted the interests of animals. McBride also worked to deepen and develop the committee’s future leaders by investing in mentorship and professional development of young lawyers.
McBride’s work in the Illinois State Bar Association and her leadership of its animal law-related efforts have brought together many diverse stakeholders to champion legislation benefiting animals. McBride also served as senior assistant attorney general and assistant bureau chief of the Environmental Bureau in the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.
She received her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law and her bachelor’s degree in agricultural journalism and fisheries and wildlife biology from Iowa State University.“Jane McBride is a visionary leader, advancing and professionalizing animal law and the TIPS Animal Law Committee for the benefit of Animal Law Committee members and animals alike,” said Gary L. Gassman, chair of the ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section. “TIPS is proud to honor our friend and colleague with the Excellence in the Advancement of Animal Law Award.”
The ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section unites plaintiff, defense, insurance and corporate counsel to advance the civil justice system. TIPS is a national source of expertise in tort, trial and insurance practice and brings lawyers together to share information and speak out on issues of importance. The section has over 10,000 members and more than 30 general committees that focus on substantive and procedural matters in areas across the broad spectrum of civil law and practice. For more information about the Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section visit the TIPS website, www.americanbar.org/tips.
The ABA is the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.