About Us

Champions for a Free and Just America.

IJ is a nonprofit, public interest law firm. We represent everyday people, free of charge, when the government violates their most important rights. Our mission is to end widespread abuses of government power and secure the constitutional rights that allow all Americans to pursue their dreams.

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More than three decades of wins to protect and expand liberty

By building up hundreds of victories over more than three decades, IJ is changing the law and enabling ever more Americans to pursue their dreams.

13

U.S. Supreme Court arguments — with 11 victories.

$21M

In wrongfully seized assets returned to their owners.

300+

Legislative reforms curtailing government abuse.

20,000

Homes and businesses saved from eminent-domain abuse.

5M+

Scholarships awarded through educational-choice programs we defended.

44

Occupations freed from needless regulations.

400+

Legal, scholarly, and policy articles citing our research.

63

National awards for communications and media relations.


When everyday people stand up for their rights, freedom grows for everyone.

 IJ partners with courageous people who lack the means to oppose government abuse on their own. Together, we ensure that freedom and justice aren’t just for the powerful, but for all of us.

Defending your rights in the courthouse and beyond

That’s why IJ engages in legislative advocacy and grassroots activism, authors original research, deploys award-winning communications, and operates a clinic for low-income entrepreneurs and a center of scholarship on the judiciary.

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Litigation

Lawsuits designed to create precedent that protects the rights of countless others like our clients.

Communications

Stories that shape national conversations on freedom, justice, and the law.

Activism

Grassroots activism that turns local fights into national momentum.

Legislation

Legislative advocacy that changes the law itself, not just the outcome of a single case.

Strategic Research

Original research cited by the U.S. Supreme Court and hundreds of scholars.

IJ Clinic on Entrepreneurship

Free legal help for low-income entrepreneurs building their livelihoods.

Center for Judicial Engagement

A home for scholarship and debate on the proper role of the judiciary.

Litigating more than 107 cases across 35 states and Washington, D.C.

Active litigation    

No active cases

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IJ’s History

Three and a half decades of victories.

Founded in 1991, the Institute for Justice has grown from a five-person startup to a nationally recognized civil-liberties law firm with offices in six states. Hover any state to see where the fight is active today.

  1. IJ opens its doors

    IJ opens with Chip Mellor, Clint Bolick, Scott Bullock, and two other staff members.

  2. The first lawsuit

    IJ files its first lawsuit, Uqdah v. Board of Cosmetology, challenging D.C.’s oppressive cosmetology regime.
    Woman wearing blue headband and man in dark suit standing inside hair salon with braiding chairs and shelves visible

  3. First Law Student Conference

    IJ hosts its first annual Law Student Conference, building the next generation of liberty-minded attorneys.

  4. Breaking Denver’s taxi monopoly

    IJ breaks open Denver’s taxi monopoly; Freedom Cabs still serve the city today.

  5. The first “city study”

    IJ publishes its first “city study” examining the over-regulation of New York City businesses.

  6. “A merry band of litigators”

    Syndicated columnist George F. Will first refers to IJ as “a merry band of libertarian litigators.”

  7. School choice upheld

    The Wisconsin Supreme Court upholds Milwaukee’s school choice program in an IJ-litigated case.

  8. A clinic for entrepreneurs

    The IJ Clinic on Entrepreneurship opens at the University of Chicago Law School.
    IJ Clinic on Entrepreneurship logo

  9. Free speech online

    IJ represents online publishers; the victory extends First Amendment protections to the internet.

  10. Zelman: a Supreme Court win

    IJ earns its landmark Zelman Supreme Court victory — Cleveland’s school choice program is constitutional.

  11. Breaking the casket cartel

    IJ’s Craigmiles victory breaks up Tennessee’s casket-selling cartel — the first federal appellate decision since the New Deal striking down an occupational licensing law under the 14th Amendment.

  12. Public Power, Private Gain

    IJ releases Public Power, Private Gain, documenting nationwide abuse of eminent domain; Mike Wallace features the report on 60 Minutes.

  13. Swedenburg frees the vine

    IJ’s Swedenburg Supreme Court victory strikes down laws forbidding direct interstate shipping of wine to consumers.

  14. Kelo and “Hands Off My Home”

    The Supreme Court issues its infamous Kelo ruling, gutting private-property protections. Within one week, IJ launches its “Hands Off My Home” campaign.

  15. Strategic Research is born

    IJ launches its Strategic Research department to reinforce litigation with impeccable research — a first of its kind in public interest law.

  16. Center for Judicial Engagement

    IJ launches the Center for Judicial Engagement, urging courts to strike down laws that exceed government’s limited powers.

  17. Protecting political speech

    The Supreme Court declares Arizona’s “Clean Elections” matching-funds provision unconstitutional, citing IJ research on how it chilled political speech.

  18. Flynn v. Holder

    IJ wins Flynn v. Holder in the 9th Circuit, allowing compensation for most bone-marrow donors.

  19. Saving the Motel Caswell

    IJ protects the Motel Caswell from local and federal government efforts to take it through civil forfeiture.

  20. The monks’ caskets

    IJ scores a victory for the monks of Saint Joseph Abbey after Louisiana barred them from selling caskets in competition with funeral homes.

  21. Meredith v. Daniels

    IJ wins as the Indiana Supreme Court upholds the Choice Scholarship Program as constitutional.

  22. Fighting structuring seizures

    IJ takes on structuring laws used to seize the entire bank accounts of innocent people; the feds return everything they took from IJ’s client.

  23. The Patel ruling

    The Texas Supreme Court strikes down arbitrary, excessive requirements on the eyebrow threaders IJ represented.

  24. A columnist’s free speech

    A federal court rules Kentucky’s Board of Examiners of Psychology cannot censor a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist.

  25. A leadership transition

    After 25 years as IJ’s only president, Chip Mellor becomes Board Chairman and founding employee Scott Bullock takes over as President & General Counsel.

  26. Little Pink House

    The movie Little Pink House — based on IJ’s fight to save Susette Kelo’s home — hits the big screen.
    Little Pink House movie poster

  27. Home bakers set free

    An IJ victory clears the way for Wisconsin home bakers to sell their goods to consumers.
    Baked Goods WI food freedom

  28. Dismantling forfeiture

    IJ dismantles Philadelphia’s forfeiture machine, securing due process and a $3 million compensation fund for victims.

  29. Timbs v. Indiana

    IJ earns a landmark unanimous Supreme Court victory in Timbs — states cannot impose excessive fines.

  30. Immunity & Accountability

    IJ launches its Project on Immunity and Accountability to challenge qualified immunity and hold government officials accountable.
    IJ 4th Amendment Project Cover

  31. Standing with small business

    Amid the pandemic, the IJ Clinic on Entrepreneurship builds a free website connecting small businesses with customers and legal guidance.

  32. Espinoza v. Montana

    IJ’s landmark Espinoza Supreme Court victory lets parents choose religiously affiliated schools, striking down bigoted Blaine Amendments.

  33. Maine heads to the Court

    The Supreme Court agrees to hear IJ’s Maine school choice case for the coming term.

  34. 20 years of four stars

    For the 20th year in a row, IJ earns Charity Navigator’s top 4-star rating — the highest 1% of more than 9,000 nonprofits ranked.
    Charity Navigator 4 Star Rating

  35. 30 years of victories

    IJ marks its 30th anniversary with 139 staff, a nearly $33 million budget, and offices in seven states — Virginia, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, Texas, Arizona, and Washington.

  36. IJ celebrates 35 years

    The Institute for Justice marks its 35th anniversary with offices in Virginia, Florida, Illinois, Texas, Arizona, and Washington state, and a clear mission-driven vision for its future to limit the size and scope of government power.
    IJ Celebrating 35 Years

Learn more about our work and how we operate.

The Institute for Justice sues the government on behalf of people whose rights have been violated. We also engage in legislative advocacy and grassroots activism, conduct original research, and operate a clinic for low-income entrepreneurs and a center of scholarship and debate on the proper role of the judiciary. Through these actions, we not only help our clients, we create legal precedent and help change laws to better protect the rights of all Americans.

People like you do. 70–85% of our funding comes from individuals, and the rest comes from foundations and other organizations. IJ receives no funding from the government. For more detailed information on IJ’s finances, please see our financial-reports page.

IJ is a nonpartisan organization. We are not affiliated with any political party. Our supporters, employees, and clients come from across the political spectrum, united in the belief that all Americans should be able to pursue their vision of a good life as free and responsible members of society.

No! IJ represents our clients completely free of charge. We are able to do so thanks to the generosity of our supporters.

You can submit information about your case using our online form. Someone from our legal team reviews all submissions. If we think a submission could be a good case for IJ, we will reach out for more information. The timeline to hear back is 6–8 weeks. If you don’t hear back during that time, that means we unfortunately cannot take your case. Please note that we receive far more requests than we are able to respond to.

Yes, IJ employs more than 70 full-time, top-notch, liberty-loving attorneys across our offices in six states. Our attorneys also partner with local counsel in some of our cases, many of whom are part of our network of like-minded attorneys across America. If you are an attorney interested in working for IJ, please see our careers page.