MSU Law student receives coveted award for work in animal law field
Legal News
Animals have been a passion for Kaitlyn Basel since childhood.
“As a child, I would ask to pet every dog I saw pass by,” she says. “I would beg my parents to take me to the zoo or the library to check out books with information about animals.”
In high school, Basel volunteered at the Potter Park Zoo in Lansing; and became involved in the fight for environmental preservation and protection of endangered species. During undergrad, she was on a research team that spent a year observing the behavioral development of juvenile elephants at the Indianapolis Zoo; the research was published and presented as part of an undergraduate research conference.
So, it’s no surprise that Basel chose Michigan State for law school, because of the Animal Law program—and where she is the recipient of this year’s Wanda A. Nash Award from the State Bar of Michigan Animal Law Section, and named after the founder of the section. The annual award, that Basel received on April 11, recognizes a 3L law student at a Michigan law school for substantial contributions to animal law.
“Not many law schools have classes, let alone publications, dedicated to Animal Law, and I wanted the opportunity to study that specific field,” says Basel, who was nominated by Professor David Favre and Animal Law Fellow Angie Vega. “I’ve been able to take classes in both Animal and Wildlife Law, as well as be part of student organizations that allow me to explore that interest.”
A graduate of Lansing Catholic High School, with an undergrad degree in criminology from Butler University, Basel has dreamed of entering the legal field for as long as she can remember.
“My father and grandfather were both lawyers, and I never really considered any other career paths,” she says. “I remember watching old episodes of Law & Order with my mom, and I always wanted to be like the prosecutors in that show.
They seemed so dedicated and passionate about their jobs, and fought so hard to get justice for crime victims. I wanted to be just like them, fighting to make the world a safer place.”
As she grew up, Basel says several of her personal experiences led to a growing passion for criminal justice. As young child, she became a victim of sexual assault at the hands of Larry Nassar, the former MSU sports-medicine and USA Gymnastics doctor who sexually abused girls and young women for decades under the guise of medical treatment.
“It was almost a decade before he was brought to justice,” says Basel, a dancer who was first abused by Nassar at the age of 12. “I gave my victim impact statement at his sentencing trial, along with dozens of other survivors, and publicly advocated for change at Michigan State.”
She was invited to the ESPY awards in 2018 to receive the Arthur Ashe Courage Award with her fellow survivors; and became involved of the Army of Survivors, a nonprofit started by fellow survivors of Nassar, dedicated to ending sexual violence in sports.
“Finding strength and courage in my fellow survivors, I was inspired to do whatever I could to make sure what happened to me wouldn’t happen to anyone else,” she says. “I’d always wanted to go to law school, but after this experience I had a more specific goal in mind—becoming a prosecutor of cases involving special victims and advocating for victim’s rights.”
Nassar’s abuse led Basel to suffer Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and around the time she began law school, she looked into getting a service dog to help with her PTSD. She worked with a service dog trainer to figure out the best type of dog for her needs, and to develop a training plan.
In the spring of her 1L year, Basel brought home Major, a black Labrador Retriever, and began training her to be her service dog. Two years later, Major has been trained to perform a variety of tasks to assist Basel with the management of her PTSD.
When Basel began law school, she combined her passion for animals with her passion for the law. As part of a research class, she wrote a paper about the legal protections around service dogs, and the difference between service dogs and other types of assistance animals in the eyes of the law. Basel and Major share their lives with Chevy, a pitbull-mix Basel adopted at 18 when she moved out of her parents’ house.
“I’ve had him for eight years now, and he’s the reason I’m such a strong advocate against pitbull discrimination and misinformation,” she says.
During Basel’s 2L year, she learned Grosse Pointe enacted a city-wide ban on pitbulls.
“Since this issue was incredibly close to my heart, as part of my Animal Law class with Professor David Favre, I wrote a research paper about the overall effectiveness of breed-specific bans, their pitfalls and inadequacies, and proposed alternative ways to use legislation to prevent instances of dog-related violence,” she says. “Grosse Pointe has since revoked their pitbull ban, and the Michigan House of Representatives is currently considering a bill that would prevent any cities or municipalities from imposing breed-specific legislation.”
Basel has enjoyed serving as vice president of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund, as a way to continue advocating for animals while also getting involved with other students at the law school. The organization hosted several informational events to keep MSU law students educated about Animal Law issues, including Speak Out for Farm Animals month, a Halloween event for Happy Feet Pet Rescue, and a Companion Animal Estate Planning event; and raised money for the Capital Area Humane Society through fundraisers, including a Valentine’s Day Teddy Bear-Grams.
“SALDF is a community of hardworking and passionate people, who care deeply about animal law issues and animal welfare,” she says. “I want to be able to continue advocating for animal welfare my entire career, and being a part of SALDF has helped me realize there are many different ways to do that with my law degree.”
Basel, who received a Dean's Fellowship in Leadership, has enjoyed several wonderful experiences doing legal internships. Her 1L summer, she worked in the Ionia County Prosecutor’s Office, and after her 2L year was selected to participate in PAAM’s summer internship program.
“These internships were great ways for me to get experience working as a prosecutor and gain an understanding of the way the court system works from the inside,” she says. “I also had the opportunity to act as the lead prosecutor in jury trials in both District and Circuit Court.”
As secretary of the Public Interest Society, she enjoyed working with other students interested in working in the public sector, and for the opportunity to meet attorneys working in public interest jobs.
“I went to law school so I could make a difference for the people in my community, and I feel an understanding and passion for public service is an important part of that,” she says.
After graduation, Basel’s goal is to begin a career in prosecution, working with cases involving sexual abuse and special victims—and one day to become a trial court judge. She also plans to continue advocating for animal welfare and the protection of animal rights.
“I intend to remain a dedicated supporter and volunteer at local animal shelters and humane societies, and hope that I’ll be able to use my law degree to make the world a better place for all living creatures,” she says.
Basel has lived in East Lansing for most of her life, with her parents, Amy and Scott, and her younger brother, Tyler. The family originally hails from Petoskey, and stills spend a significant of time up there. In her free time, Basel like to go out on the lake, hike with her dogs, and read outside.
But Basel is now making the Motor City her home, having bought a house there with her partner.
“We’re very excited to begin the next chapter of our lives there,” she says.
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