Institute for Justice

Founded in 1991 by Chip Mellor and Clint Bolick, the Institute for Justice is a US libertarian public interest law firm. John Blundell was also a founder director. [1]

"In pursuit of its goal of a radical laissez-faire capitalism, the Institute has initiated a number of lawsuits aimed at ending government regulation of business. While the lawsuits generally involve small businesses, often in communities of color, the goal is to set a legal precedent for the deregulation of big business in general. Utilizing both litigation and public advocacy, the Institute has also played a critical role in the groundbreaking school voucher programs in Milwaukee and Cleveland. " [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]

The initial funding for the Institute came from the Koch Family Foundations, which also fund the libertarian Cato Institute and Citizens for a Sound Economy.

Officers and Executives

• Deborah Simpson, Managing Director
• Brian Montgomery, Director of Finance & Administration
• Mr. William Mellor, President
• Patricia Lee, Managing Vice President & National Director of Clinical Programs
• John E. Kramer, Vice President for Communications
• Clint Bolick, Vice President & National Director of State Chapters

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

References

• The London School of Economics Hayek Society, "John Blundell", Capitalism seminar, Hayek society, accessed January 2004
• Phil Wilayto, "The Institute For Justice", A Job is a Right Campaign, February 8, 2000.
• Institute of Justice, Board Members, accessed January 2004.