Institute for Justice

Founded in 1991 by Chip Mellor and Clint Bolick, the Institute for Justice (IJ) is a libertarian public interest law firm in the United States. Its mission is to provide pro bono legal advice and representation, litigating strategically to pursue its free market agenda. It supports school choice and free speech while also working to end racial preferences in governmental hiring, unnecessarily restrictive professional licensing, and eminent domain abuse.

The Institute has been involved in numerous high-profile cases. Particularly noteworthy cases include school choice lawsuits in Cleveland, Milwaukee, Arizona, and Florida; an eminent domain lawsuit brought against Donald Trump; the interstate wine sales case of Swedenburg v. Kelly; and the eminent domain lawsuit of Kelo v. City of New London.

In 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." The Institute also conducts training programs for law students, hosts several annual conferences, and publishes several newsletters, including Liberty and Law.

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.

Mellor currently serves as the Institute's president and general counsel, while Bolick serves as counsel for strategic litigation.

Board of Directors

 * David Kennedy (chairman): President Emeritus, Earhart Foundation
 * Mark Babunovic: Vice President, Bank of New York
 * Arthur Dantchik: Partner, Susquehanna Investment Group
 * Robert A. Levy: Senior Fellow in Constitutional Studies, Cato Institute
 * Jim Lintott: Principal, Freedom Management Group LLC, Reston, Virginia
 * Chip Mellor: President and General Counsel, Institute for Justice
 * Stephen Modzelewski: Managing Member, Maple Engine LLC
 * Abigail Thernstrom: Commissioner, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights; Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute
 * Gerrit Wormhoudt: Attorney-at-Law, Fleeson, Gooing, Coulson and Kitch