Institute for Justice
Founded in 1991 by Chip Mellor and Clint Bolick, the Institute for Justice is a U.S. non-profit public interest law firm. John Blundell was also a founder director. [1] Its mission is to provide pro bono legal advice and representation, representing its clients free of charge while litigating strategically to pursue its libertarian mission. It supports four core ideals: free speech, property rights, economic liberty and school choice. On 4 March 2002, the Institute for Justice launched an activist project called the Castle Coalition, aimed at fighting eminent domain abuse. IJ has established state chapters in Arizona, Minnesota, Texas and Washington.
The Institute has been involved in numerous high-profile lawsuits. Particularly noteworthy cases include Coking vs. C.R.D.A, in which they defended the right of Vera Coking to stay in her home despite the intent of Donald Trump to use her land for a parking lot, and the landmark U.S. Supreme Court eminent domain lawsuit of Kelo v. City of New London, winning the former and losing the latter. They were involved with several other U.S. Supreme Court lawsuits including Swedenburg v. Kelly, involving the interstate sale of wine, Lawrence v. Texas, which struck down sodomy laws in Texas, Zelman v. Simmons-Harris, a school choice case involving the Establishment Clause and Gonzales v. Raich, where the Institute issued an amicus curiae brief on behalf of a medical marijuana patient.[2]
In a addition to litigation, "the Institute [takes its cases] to the court of public opinion with a blitz of editorials and op-eds in leading local and national newspapers."[3]
As part of its free speech efforts, the Institute is involved with campaign finance reform. The Arizona chapter has filed a lawsuit challenging the "Clean Elections Act".
The initial funding for the Institute came from the Koch Family Foundations, which also funds the libertarian Cato Institute and Citizens for a Sound Economy. The Walton Family Foundation also contributed money. The Institute currently receives funding from individuals and organizations that cross the political spectrum, including the liberal Annie E. Casey Foundation and Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation to the conservative Bradley Foundation. In July 2009, Charity Navigator rated the Institute with its highest Four Star Rating for the eighth consecutive year.
Washingtonian Magazine ranked the Institute for Justice as one of the top 50 Great Places to Work in Washington DC. [4]
Officers and Executives
- Deborah Simpson, Managing Director
- Steven Anderson, Director of Finance & Administration
- Mr. William Mellor, President
- John E. Kramer, Vice President for Communications
Board
- David B. Kennedy (chairman): President of the Earhart Foundation
- Chip Mellor: President and General Counsel of the Institute for Justice
- Mark Babunovic: Vice President, Bank of New York
- Arthur Dantchik: Partner at Susquehanna Investment Group
- Robert A. Levy: Senior Fellow in Constitutional Studies at Cato Institute
- Jim Lintott: Chairman of Sterling Foundation Management
- Stephen Modzelewski: President of Watermark Management Corporation and trustee of the Reason Foundation
- Abigail Thernstrom: Commissioner on U.S. Commission on Civil Rights; Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute
- Gerrit Wormhoudt: Attorney-at-Law Fleeson, Gooing, Coulson and Kitch
Contact details
Institute for Justice
901 N. Glebe Road
Suite 900
Arlington, VA 22203
Phone: 703.682.9320
Fax: 703.682.9321
Web: http://www.ij.org/
References
- The London School of Economics Hayek Society, "John Blundell", Capitalism seminar, Hayek society, accessed January 2004
- Debra England, "Top 10 charitable gift ideas for this holiday season," TownHall.com, December 16, 2006.
- Phil Wilayto, "The Institute For Justice", A Job is a Right Campaign, February 8, 2000.
- Institute of Justice, Board Members, accessed January 2004.
