TALLAHASSEE — Recent Florida State University College of Law graduate Kevin Schneider (’13), of Boston, Massachusetts, has won The Florida Bar Animal Law Committee’s inaugural Outstanding Service Award. Schneider was selected to receive the award for his efforts while a law student to educate others about legal issues involving animals. The award will be presented on June 28, during the Bar’s 2013 Annual Meeting in Boca Raton, Florida.

While at Florida State, Schneider helped convert the law school’s Animal Law Society into a Student Animal Legal Defense Fund chapter so the organization had greater access to grant and scholarship opportunities. Schneider served as president of that organization during his second and third years of law school. He also coordinated a pro bono program that allowed students to work on animal legal issues, helped organize an annual Animal Law Writing Competition for the state’s law students, and recruited animal law experts to the law school to speak with students. One such guest was a Harvard-educated professor who spoke about “carnism.” In addition, Schneider dedicated hundreds of hours to researching and writing about legal issues involving animals and to providing assistance to local not-for-profit Pets Ad Litem.

“Kevin has just been incredible – Florida State has a strong commitment to pro bono service and he has been a real supporter of that through Pets Ad Litem,” said Animal Law Committee Chair, Florida State Law alumnus and Pets Ad Litem CEO Ralph DeMeo (’85). “Students from other law schools were nominated, but he was head and shoulders above all of them.”

Schneider was nominated by Florida State Professor Patricia Matthews, who is a member of the Animal Law Committee. He is receiving one of two Outstanding Service Awards presented by the Animal Law Committee. The purpose of the awards is to honor one active member of The Florida Bar and one Florida law student who have made outstanding contributions to the practice and/or study of animal law in Florida.