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.

"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."

The Institute offered two amicus briefs in the Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission case in favor of Citizens United.

However, aside from providing legal assistance to businesses, the Institute has occasionally given help to individuals against government oppression. One example was in the Supreme Court case Gonzales v. Raich, the Institute issued an amicus curiae brief on behalf of a medical marijuana patient.

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."

One of the target of the Institute is campaign finance reform. The Arizona chapter has filed a lawsuit challenging the "Clean Elections Act".

The Institute operates two additional projects: the Castle Coalition, described as a "nationwide grassroots property rights activism project" aimed at fighting eminent domain, and Congress Shall Make No Law, a "free speech blog."

Ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council
In 2011, Institute for Justice Executive Director Lee McGrath introduced the "Asset Forfeiture Process and Private Property Protection Act" model legislation to the Public Safety and Elections Task Force meeting at the 2011 Annual Meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) in New Orleans.

Funding
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. Charles and David Koch were named "Cornerstone Supporters" in 2001. 

Other notable funders include the Dick and Betsy DeVos Foundation, which funds religious right groups and advocates school choice the conservative Sarah Mellon Scaife Foundation, the school privatization-supporting Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation, which also backs charter schools and vouchers. A complete list of funders can be found at the Media Matters Action Network Conservative Transparency website. 

Officers and Executives

 * Deborah Simpson, Managing Director
 * Steven Anderson, Director of Finance & Administration
 * Mr. William Mellor, President
 * John E. Kramer, Vice President for Communications
 * Clint Bolick, Vice President & National Director of State Chapters

Former staff

 * Brian Montgomery, Director of Finance & Administration
 * 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 and trustee of the Reason Foundation
 * 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/

Odd bedfellows
The Institute for Justice rubs shoulders with two intelligence firms: Blackwater offshoot Total Intelligence Solutions occupies the adjacent (or perhaps same) office, at Suite 901, and one floor below, in Suite 810, lies  MZM (of Mitchell Wade and Duke Cunningham fame) offshoot Athena Innovative Solutions. Towers Watson has two floors of the building, and a sister building in the same complex houses the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

State chapters
Arizona : 398 S Mill Avenue Ste 301 Tempe, AZ 85281 Phone: (480) 557-8300 Fax: (480) 557-8305

Minnesota 527 Marquette Avenue Ste 1600 Minneapolis, MN 55402 Phone: (612) 435-3451 Fax: (612) 435-5875

Texas: 816 Congress Ave, Suite 960 Austin, TX 78701-2475 Phone: (512) 480-5936 Fax: (512) 480-5937

Washington (State): 101 Yesler Way Ste 603 Seattle, WA 98104 Phone: (206) 341-9300 Fax: (206) 341-9311

External articles

 * 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.