People
Meet the Multispecies Collective, its affiliates, and its partners.
The Collective
Researchers connected by shared objectives and values leading large-scale research projects on multispecies flourishing.
Founding Leader
Dr Iyan Offor is an assistant professor in environmental law and sustainable development at the University of Birmingham. Iyan is a critical socio-legal theorist conducting interdisciplinary research on multispecies legalities. His active research projects are: Solarpunk Narrative and Multispecies (Legal) Worlding; and Transqueer Ecological Justice. Iyan recently published his monograph Global Animal Law from the Margins. Iyan is editor for the Journal of International Wildlife Law & Policy and academic consultant for the UK Centre for Animal Law.
Deputy Leader
Michelle Strauss
Michelle Strauss is a PhD researcher at the School of Law at Birmingham City University. Her research is focused on participatory approaches in environmental decision making and how to involve non-humans in legislative processes. Michelle works as a claims professional at a global insurer focusing on professional indemnity insurance claims and is the founder of a charity whose objective is to improve animal welfare by using the law to shine a light on systemic animal welfare problems and to seek solutions. She is a dual qualified solicitor, admitted to the bar in New Zealand in 2007 and in England and Wales in 2019.
Events Coordinator
Mo Esan
Mo Esan a PhD researcher in Animal Law at University of Birmingham, funded by the Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership. Mo conducts research on African animal law, particularly the Animal Welfare Strategy for Africa and Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL), decolonial theory, and critical animal studies. Mo served as a research assistant for the Cambridge Centre for Animal Rights Law and is currently on the Animal Charity Evaluators Board. Mo's work seeks to bridge scholarship and practice, advancing innovative frameworks for animal law and global justice, with Africa in mind.
Communications Coordinator
Sam Hazle is a second year PhD candidate at Birmingham City University. Sam conducts research on animal law, intersectionality, and social justice. His qualifications include an LLB (Hons) from Newcastle University, and an LLM in Global Environment and Climate Change Law from the University of Edinburgh.
Membership Coordinator
Bethan Smith
Bethan Smith is a PhD student in law at the University of Birmingham. She is also a Postgraduate Teaching Assistant in law at the University of Birmingham. Bethan’s research focuses on the protection of marine animals, environments, and human culture. Bethan researches animal law, environmental law, biodiversity conservation law, culture, environmental ethics, and critical animal and environmental legal theory. Bethan’s experience specialises in marine animal issues but also includes varied wild, farmed, and domestic animal issues. Bethan has worked on international and national projects for animal and environmental protection. Bethan’s other experiences include being a researcher, guest writer, and speaker at the UK Animal Law Conference 2025.
Member
Love Alfred
Love Alfred is a lecturer at Birmingham City University. She conducts research on just transition. Her doctoral work looked at energy access and the relevance of a multilevel perspective for a just transition. This research has crystallised into work aimed at educating and engaging non-state actors – such as faith-based organisations, institutions, Indigenous communities and ‘non-humans’ (multispecies consideration) within the ongoing shift towards a sustainable transition. Love is also a Barrister and Solicitor of Law (Nigeria) and has worked as a parliamentary counsel and a state counsel. She is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Female lawyers Association of Nigeria (FIDA) and Socio-legal Scholars Association (SLSA).
Member
Stacy Banwell is Professor of Criminology at the University of Greenwich and a leading scholar in non-speciesist and more-than-human criminology. Her research examines conflict-related sexual and reproductive violence against human and nonhuman animals, the intersections of gender, climate change and atrocity crimes, and multi-species justice in conflict and post-conflict contexts. These themes are central to her two most recent monographs: The War Against Nonhuman Animals: A Non-Speciesist Understanding of Gendered Reproductive Violence and An Intersectional Analysis of Climate Change and Atrocity Crimes: Life on Earth is in Crisis. Her work, which addresses harm experienced by vulnerable and marginalised human and nonhuman groups, has informed policy developments and has been cited by high-level bodies including a U.S. Supreme Court, the United Nations, the UN General Assembly, and the UK Ministry of Justice. As part of the EU Horizon/UKRI project Transformative Change for Biodiversity and Equity, Stacy is currently evaluating sustainability transitions through legal pathways such as rights of nature, ecocide, and restorative justice.
Member
Gray Black is a PhD Candidate in the School of International Relations at the University of St Andrews. Black's research on speciesqueer political phenomenology intersects queer ecology, political and social theory, cultural anthropology, as well as science and technology studies. Alongside their affiliation with the Multispecies Collective, Black is also the Administrative and Research Assistant for the Centre for Art and Politics and a Fellow of St Andrews’ Interdisciplinary Postgraduate College.
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Dr Emily Jones is a Senior Research Fellow in the Newcastle University Academic Track (NUAcT) programme based in Newcastle Law School. Dr Jones’ interdisciplinary research applies critical theory including feminist, queer, posthuman, postcolonial and critical disability studies, to analyse and re-imagine international law. Her work spans several fields of international law, such as international environmental law, international human rights law, science, technology and international law and gender and conflict, among others.
Member
Claire Lathwell
Claire Lathwell is a Doctoral Researcher in Law at Birmingham City University (BCU). Claire is conducting socio-legal research on animal law and criminal justice. Claire’s research interests also include environmental law, green criminology, 20th century continental philosophy (especially Foucault) and political philosophy. Prior to commencing her doctoral research at BCU in September 2024, Claire spent over 6 years practising environmental, human rights and immigration law as a Solicitor in England and Wales. Claire holds an LLM in Professional Legal Practice and a BA(Hons) degree in Philosophy and Politics.
The Collective's Affiliates
A group of researchers, practitioners, change-makers and future-oriented creatives who are interested in the collective’s objectives and values and who may be conducting or engaged with research or practice toward multispecies flourishing.
Affiliate Member
Frida Hernandez Pena is a final year doctoral researcher at Birmingham City University. Frida’s research focuses on environmental constitutionalism and the rights of nature in Mexico. She participated as a member of the Committee of Postgraduates in Latin American Studies in the UK (PILAS) from 2023 to 2024 and currently works in research management at BCU. Her research interests include: The philosophy of rights of nature, environmental justice, and postcolonial studies.
Affiliate Member
Sean Madden is a doctoral researcher in law at the University of Birmingham. He adopts a critical approach to international law and global governance, conducting research on the impact of globalised industrial agricultural production on food security, human rights, and climate breakdown, with particular regard to Indigenous and minority communities in the global south, and women within those communities. The work interlinks with an interest in the rights of nature and non-human animals emergent of an ethical veganism comprised of animal rights, environmentalism, and human rights, and recognises the symbiotic relationship between the Earth and all elements of its biosphere. Sean previously completed an LLM in International Development Law and Human Rights at the University of Warwick, and is a member of the Socio-Legal Studies Association and Society of Legal Scholars.
Affiliate Member
Dr. Veerle Platvoet is senior research fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law. Veerle conducts research on wildlife law, international environmental law, and animal law. Veerle is also co-editor in chief at the Global Journal of Animal Law, co-founding member of the Helsinki Animal Law Centre and board member of the Dutch Society of Animal Rights Law
The Collective's Partners
A network of organisations and individuals that are aligned to the collective's shared objectives and values or that partner, collaborative or connect with the collective in pursuit of multispecies flourishing. Partners are independent of the collective and their views are their own and will not necessarily align with the collective’s objectives and values in all cases.
Partner
European Institute for Animal Law & Policy
As the first Brussels-based think-and-do tank specializing in animal law & policy, our mission is to advance the interests of animals in the EU. The European Institute for Animal Law & Policy advocates for animals at EU and national levels, and we provide expert research, training, public affairs, and monitoring services to nonprofits and public administrations to help them achieve better treatment for animals. Our mission is to guide all parties involved in animal-related rule-making, whether in legislation and regulations, private standards, or non-written common industry practices. Our expertise focuses on non-human animals used for all types of exploitative purposes: food and fiber, entertainment, science, and companionship, as well as wild animals, which are increasingly harvested as commodities. The Institute nurtures non-violent solutions that alleviate suffering and exploitation. We also support the development of animal law as an autonomous legal and academic discipline.
Partner
Paula Sparks World Moot on International Law and Animal Rights
The Sparks Moot is the world's first global moot competition and training courses on animal rights. It combines traditional aspects of law and policy with contemporary issues of animal rights to train future generations in securing balanced protections for all sentient life. It does so through policy negotiation and legal advocacy competitions, and training courses that enhance the skills needed to succeed in these areas.
The Collective's Network
We engage regularly with our network through our events and communications.
We host members of our network through the Multispecies Collective Visiting Researcher Programme. Read about our visitors here.
Visitor (2025)
Colette Schefer-Peisker
Colette Schefer-Peisker is a doctoral candidate at Prof. Dr. Norer's Chair of Public Law and Rural Law at the University of Lucerne. Her research focuses on animal welfare in slaughter. In addition to her dissertation, Colette has written several articles on animal welfare law, including on animal dignity and criminal animal welfare law. Alongside her research, Colette works as a lawyer in environmental consulting. Read on to learn about Colette's research project and visiting stay. ​​ RESEARCH PROJECT: My dissertation examines the legal framework and practical challenges of animal welfare in Swiss slaughterhouses. The first part outlines the historical and systematic development of animal welfare law in the field of slaughter and critically analyses the compatibility of slaughter practices with the dignity of creatures enshrined in the Federal Constitution. The second part focuses on the relevant regulations and their enforcement in relation to key animal welfare-related processes in the slaughter process. The focus is on animal welfare requirements for stunning and bleeding and the importance of veterinary entry checks to assess animal health. Particular attention is paid to the critical assessment of current stunning methods and the examination of innovative alternatives, such as stunning with noble gases or the Low Atmosphere Pressure Stunning (LAPS) method. VISITING PROGRAMME: During my research stay, I intend to examine the role of mandatory video surveillance in English slaughterhouses with regard to the implementation of animal welfare legislation, comparing it with the situation in Switzerland. I will examine the experiences gained so far with mandatory video surveillance and whether it can make a positive contribution to improving animal welfare in the slaughter process. The aim of my research is to gain insights into the possible introduction of video surveillance in Swiss slaughterhouses.