Mallory Lizana

Mallory Lizana, originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, grew up in a small Mississippi town. Her legal journey began in 2018 at a small defense firm, and she went on to earn her Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, with honors, from The University of Southern Mississippi in 2019. During her time at USM, she traveled to Italy and worked with individuals seeking asylum in the European Union from Africa. Later, she spent time in Ireland where she studied their criminal justice system and the lasting impact of the conflict known as “The Troubles.” These experiences shaped her early interest in the legal field.

Mallory earned her Juris Doctorate from Florida State University College of Law in 2021, where she was actively involved in the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the Environmental Law Society, and the Association for Criminal Justice. She received the Advancement of Animal Law Scholarship and was recognized for Distinguished Pro Bono Service. She also earned certifications in Florida Legal Research, Legal Technology, Advanced Database Searching, and Practice Ready Research.

Furthering her legal education, Mallory earned a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Animal Law from Lewis & Clark Law School in 2024, graduating magna cum laude. She was recognized for her pro bono and community service contributions.

Mallory previously gained courtroom experience through her work with the Ninth Judicial Circuit Public Defender’s Office where she handled a high volume of cases from arraignment through trial. Her professional roles also include working in private defense on a variety of criminal matters.

In addition to her current work as an attorney editor at The Florida Bar, Mallory serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Central Florida, where she teaches Animal Law and Criminal Procedure courses through engaging, asynchronous learning modules for undergraduate students.

Mallory has published numerous articles on animal law and environmental law, including in the Florida Bar Journal, the Florida Specifier, the Animal Law Section of the Florida Bar’s Paw Review, and the ABA's GPSolo Magazine.

In recognition of her professionalism and contributions to the legal field, she received the 36 Under Thirty-Six Professionalism Award from the Young Lawyers Division of the Florida Bar in 2024. In June 2025, she was honored with the Distinguished Achievement Award by the Animal Law Section of the Florida Bar for her contributions to animal law in Florida.

Mallory serves on the Executive Council of the Animal Law Section of the Florida Bar as Treasurer and is Co-Chair of the Companion Animal Law Committee.