BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Tom Linney

As Director of the Pro Bono Program for the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), Tom Linney oversees the nation’s largest pro bono network for animal protection. Under Tom’s leadership, the Pro Bono Program has created successful partnerships with many of the nation’s largest and most well-respected law firms, obtained legal support for hundreds of community members and animal organizations with animal law issues, and secured more than 70,000 pro bono hours for ALDF projects, totaling more than $30 million in legal work to help animals.

Tom is a graduate of the University of Texas (UT) School of Law, where he established an ALDF Student Chapter, successfully petitioned the school to add an animal law course, and coordinated several successful projects as ALDF Student Chapter President. While Tom was in law school, he gained experience working for Texas RioGrande Legal Aid and an animal law practitioner and served as legislative intern for the Texas Humane Legislation Network. Tom became the first student to receive a Baron & Budd Fellowship from UT Law to pursue animal protection work.

Tom is co-host of the radio show “Animal Concerns of Texas”, has served on the boards of several local animal protection organizations, and amongst other volunteer work, leads community trash clean-ups and feeding the unhoused efforts. Fittingly, Tom’s parents chose his middle name Francis, in honor of St. Francis.