Richard Cupp is a law professor and a writer widely recognized for his work supporting stronger animal welfare protections but opposing legal personhood for animals. He is also known for his scholarship addressing torts and products liability. Professor Cupp serves as the John W. Wade Professor of Law at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law. He has received multiple writing awards and multiple teaching awards. Professor Cupp is a member of the American Law Institute, and is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. He has served on the Executive Committee of the Association of American Law Schools (“AALS”) Section on Animal Law, and as chair of the AALS Section on Torts and Compensation Systems.

Professor Cupp has published more than 30 scholarly articles, and is the coauthor of a products liability casebook. His scholarly publications have been cited more than 700 times, including at least 23 citations in reported court cases, two of which are Supreme Court of the United States cases. Three appellate court decisions rejecting animal legal personhood have cited his scholarship.

Professor Cupp’s work addressing animals’ legal and moral status has been highlighted by The New Yorker, National Geographic, the Washington Post, the New York TImes, NPR, the BBC, the Los Angeles TImes, Science Magazine, the New Republic, Popular Science, and other media sources. His media publications include articles in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, USA TODAY, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The National Law Journal, The Indianapolis Star, and other venues. He has appeared many times on television, radio, and podcasts addressing issues involving animals’ moral and legal status, torts or products liability.

Professor Cupp has advised many organizations regarding law and animals, including the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Science, Technology and Law, the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Neuroscience, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the National Association for Biomedical Research, the Animal Health Institute, and the American Animal Hospital Association.

Professor Cupp served Pepperdine Caruso Law School previously in administrative capacities as vice dean, as associate dean for academics, and as the school's first associate dean for research. As a law student Professor Cupp was editor-in-chief of the UC Davis Law Review. From 2009-2019 Professor Cupp served as a member of the board of directors of Meals on Wheels West, and he continues to interact with the organization as an informal advisor.

Views expressed on this website reflect only Professor Cupp’s perspectives and scholarship; the website does not purport to reflect the views of Pepperdine University or any other institution.