About the Institute for JusticeInstitute for JusticeIJ_20d10386-e92f-11ec-bffc-c5482c83ea00IJ is a nonprofit, public interest law firm. | Champions for a Free and Just America ~ IJ is the national civil liberties law firm that represents everyday people—free of charge—when the government violates their most important constitutional rights. We focus on the areas of the law that provide the foundation for a free society, and we win three out of every four cases we file despite the challenges inherent in litigating against the government.IJ TeamIJ’s attorneys and staff work on behalf of those with the heart but not the means to fight for their most important rights. We take our clients’ cases before judges and their stories to the general public, and we educate the public, grassroots activists, lawmakers, lawyers and law students, and elite academic audiences about the vital importance of the protections and principles enshrined in the Constitution.Scott G. BullockPresident and General CounselDana BerlinerSenior Vice President and Litigation DirectorBert GallManaging Vice President and Senior AttorneyDaniel KnepperManaging Vice President/CFODeborah SimpsonChief Operating OfficerWilliam H. MellorChairman and Founding General CounselJohn E. KramerVice President for CommunicationsBeth StevensVice President for DevelopmentDan AlbanSenior AttorneyPaul AvelarManaging Attorney of the Institute for Justice Arizona OfficeMichael BindasSenior AttorneyErica Smith EwingSenior AttorneyRobert FrommerSenior AttorneyWesley HottotSenior AttorneyRob JohnsonSenior AttorneyWilliam R. MaurerManaging Attorney of the Institute for Justice Washington OfficeRobert McNamaraSenior AttorneyArif PanjuManaging Attorney of the Texas OfficeJustin PearsonManaging Attorney of the Institute for Justice Florida OfficeJeff RowesSenior AttorneyPaul ShermanSenior AttorneyWilliam AroninAttorneyAri BargilAttorneyBob BeldenAttorneyAnya BidwellAttorney Caroline Grace BrothersAttorneyTori ClarkLaw & Liberty FellowBen FieldAttorneyRenée FlahertyAttorneyJoe GayAttorneySam GedgeAttorney Alexa GervasiAttorneyMichael GreenbergLaw & Liberty FellowDavid HodgesEducational Choice AttorneyJoshua HouseAttorneyPatrick JaicomoAttorneyJames T. Knight IILaw & Liberty FellowEvan LisullProofreader & Cite CheckerJared McClainAttorneyMarie MillerAttorneyKeith NeelyAttorneyDaniel NelsonLaw & Liberty FellowRobert PeccolaAttorney & IJ's Four Pillar Society Special CounselDaniel RankinLaw & Liberty FellowJeffrey RedfernAttorneySuranjan SenLaw & Liberty FellowDiana SimpsonAttorneyJaba TsitsuashviliAttorneyAndrew WardAttorneyKirby Thomas WestAttorneyJoshua WindhamAttorneyJohn WrenchAttorneySeth YoungLaw & Liberty FellowGretchen EmbreySenior ParalegalKyndra GriffinParalegalFatiah IvoryParalegalMolly KartenOffice Manager and Paralegal (TX and AZ Office)Hilary LoyaParalegal and Office Manager (WA Office)Kendall MortonParalegal and Special Projects Manager (TX Office)Casey NascaParalegal and Office Manager (MN Office)Diana OlazabalParalegalClaire PurpleParalegalRebekah RamirezParalegal and Office Manager (FL Office)Melissa LoPrestiAssistant Director of Litigation OperationsAdam LinthicumForfeiture Intake Coordinator and Public Records CoordinatorWill LucardiLitigation AssistantJohn E. KramerVice President for CommunicationsJ. Justin WilsonSenior Director of CommunicationsDon WilsonSenior Creative DirectorLaura MauriceAssistant Director of DesignMark MerantaAssistant Director of Video ProductionAndrew WimerDirector of Media RelationsConor BeckCommunications Project ManagerRima GerhardWeb DeveloperAdam GrayMotion Graphics DesignerDan KingCommunications Project ManagerMarianne MarchDigital Marketing and Communications StrategistErin NogleGraphic DesignerMatt PowersReporting and Communications ManagerNick SibillaWriter & Legislative AnalystJoshua SwainProducerNathalie WalkerJunior Graphic DesignerCasey WilsonCinematographer/EditorBeth StevensVice President for DevelopmentMatt BagnoliDirector of Individual GivingKim NorbergDirector of Donor CommunicationsTommy CreeganGrants ManagerLisa BergstromDigital Communications ManagerRobert CookDevelopment AssistantKenzie JaicomoMajor Gifts CoordinatorAnne KomerSpecial Gifts CoordinatorOwen MasonMembership AssistantAnne-Lise QuinnDirector of GrantsJordan ShafferDevelopment Research ManagerKristen SiboriMonthly Giving AssistantLyndsay Von EhrenhelmDevelopment Administrative AssistantRoss WardDonor Relations AssistantJanae WilkersonDevelopment WriterMatt CorbettSenior Director of Information TechnologyAbby HalzelDirector of RecruitingLorena LopezControllerMeghan O'HairSenior Director of AdministrationCalvin BatesAssistant Director of ITMirela BrownAssistant Director of Salesforce OperationsCara ShafferAssistant ControllerSavannah AnchingesOffice and Facilities AssistantKelly BroomeHR ManagerLeah HarrisonBusiness Services CoordinatorCassandra HochHR AssistantSavannah RuppRecruiterJennifer SmithAccounting ManagerJoJo TompkinsEvents CoordinatorKat WrenchStudent Programs Coordinator and Legal RecruiterAndy YuSystems CoordinatorIJ Clinic on EntrepreneurshipThe IJ Clinic on Entrepreneurship provides free legal assistance, support and advocacy for low-income entrepreneurs in Chicago. The IJ Clinic also trains the next generation of attorneys to be vigorous and creative advocates for entrepreneurs.Beth KregorIJ Clinic DirectorCatherine Copeland GryczanIJ Clinic Assistant DirectorNoah BazisPolicy FellowCenter for Judicial EngagementThe Institute for Justice’s Center for Judicial Engagement (CJE) educates the public about the proper role of the courts in enforcing constitutional limits on the size and scope of government.Anthony SandersDirector of the Center for Judicial EngagementJohn RossEditor and Producer, Short CircuitAll Americans are free to pursue their dreams_20d1049e-e92f-11ec-bffc-c5482c83ea00To end widespread abuses of government power and secure the constitutional rights_20d105ac-e92f-11ec-bffc-c5482c83ea00FreedomJusticeLegal PrecedentsFile lawsuits to set precedents that will protect the rights of many people_20d10700-e92f-11ec-bffc-c5482c83ea001How We Do It ~ Each case IJ files is crafted to set a precedent that will protect the rights of countless others like our clients. By building up hundreds of victories over our three decades, IJ is changing the law and enabling ever more Americans to pursue their dreams... ^ The Institute for Justice litigates to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans. IJ defends ordinary people who want to earn an honest living, own and enjoy their property, speak freely, and give their children a good education but find that the government is standing in their way. ^ We fight to hold government officials accountable when they violate constitutional rights and to prevent governments at all levels from bending the rules to expand their power or advance illegitimate ends. ^ IJ wins three out of four cases through outright courtroom victories or legislative change prompted by our lawsuits. ^ But we know that success in court alone is not enough..._20d107fa-e92f-11ec-bffc-c5482c83ea00Laws & ExperiencesChange laws and the experiences of individuals_20d108ea-e92f-11ec-bffc-c5482c83ea002So we engage in legislative advocacy and grassroots activism, author original research, deploy award-winning communications, and operate a clinic for low-income entrepreneurs and a center of scholarship and debate on the proper role of the judiciary. Together, these activities are changing the law and the real-world experience of individuals across the country.ActivismEmpower and mobilize entrepreneurs, property owners and parents to advocate for their rights_20d109ee-e92f-11ec-bffc-c5482c83ea002.1EntrepreneursProperty OwnersParentsJennifer McDonaldAssistant Director of Activism Special ProjectsChad ReeseAssistant Director of ActivismChristina WalshSenior Director of Activism and CoalitionsJordan BanegasActivism ManagerEllen HamlettActivism CoordinatorDeanna McCollumActivism CoordinatorAndrew MeletaActivism AssociateAlex MontgomeryCity Policy AssociateRachel WilliamsActivism AssistantIJ’s activism team works to empower and mobilize entrepreneurs, property owners and parents to advocate for their rights. We manage multiple grassroots campaigns at the state and local levels, draft online and media content, testify in the courtroom, organize trainings and public demonstrations, and develop promotional materials and information campaigns, all to provide activists with the tools and strategies needed to effectively fight for their rights both in their communities and in the statehouse.LegislationChange laws at the local and state government levels_20d10ae8-e92f-11ec-bffc-c5482c83ea002.2Local GovernmentsState GovernmentsProperty OwnersIJ advocates on behalf of property owners, entrepreneurs and others whose homes, livelihoods and freedom of speech are threatened by pointless, overreaching and unnecessary government regulation. EntrepreneursLee McGrathSenior Legislative Counsel and Managing Attorney of the Institute for Justice Minnesota OfficeJaimie CavanaughAttorneyMeagan ForbesLegislative CounselJessica PoitrasLegislative CounselIn addition to fighting in court on behalf of small business owners, educational choice advocates, property owners and free speech issues, the Institute for Justice has a legislative team working to make changes at the local and state government levels. ^ Our legislative team engages in carefully selected efforts across the country to pass pro-liberty legislation and defeat anti-liberty legislation by employing IJ’s arsenal of legal analysis, strategic communications, activism and research. ^ Sometimes we stand alone at state capitols and city council meetings as the only advocates of government reducing the things it does. In other cases, we join forces with other organizations to advance liberty.ResearchProduces research on issues central to our mission_20d10be2-e92f-11ec-bffc-c5482c83ea002.3Property OwnersForfeiture often victimizes the innocent: In one survey, only 1 in 4 victims was found or pleaded guilty, but 69% lost their property forever.Licensed OccupationsOccupational licensing costs the economy 2 million jobs and as much as $184 billion in lost economic value.Cosmetology StudentsTo get licensed, cosmetology students take on larger-than-average student debt—but only about a third graduate on time and licensees earn just $26,000 a year.State of GeorgiaGeorgia state laws are the nation’s worst for promoting cities’ abuse of fines and fees to raise revenue.Dick M. Carpenter II, Ph.D.Senior Director of Strategic ResearchLisa KnepperSenior Director of Strategic ResearchDarwyyn DeyoSenior Research FellowTony LaudadioResearch AssistantAlec MenaResearch AssistantMindy MenjouAssistant Director of Strategic ResearchKathy SanchezResearcherElyse Smith PohlLegal Research and Policy AttorneyKyle SweetlandResearcherDavid WarrenSenior Research AnalystHarrison WeeksResearch AnalystThe Institute for Justice produces original research on issues central to our mission, and IJ legal experts often write reports to inform public policy debates.2022-06-10https://ij.org/about-us/OwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net