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My February birthday fund-raising campaign for this website, Behind the Black, is now over. Despite a relatively weak initial three weeks, the last week was spectacular, making this campaign the second best ever.

 

Thanks to every person who donated or subscribed. It continues to astonish me that people who can read my work for free like it enough to donate money voluntarily. Words cannot express my appreciation for that support, especially in these uncertain times.

 

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Where to get legal help if you have been blacklisted by today’s control freaks

As I have been chronicling the left’s shameless effort to blacklist, blackball, censor, and destroy its opposition during the past year and a half, I have also begun to assembly a list of non-profit law firms that are dedicated to fight this oppression, and have been increasingly successfully in winning their cases.

It seems appropriate therefore to provide that list to the public. Several blacklisted readers of these columns have noted in comments that they wish to also sue, and I would like to help them do so in every way possible. The following list, though obviously not all inclusive, describes what appear to be the most active and successful non-profit law firms presently winning first amendment cases nationwide. (Note too that the ACLU is not on the list, as that organization a long time ago abandoned its foundational goal of protecting free speech and has instead become an agent acting to increase the left’s power over ordinary citizens.)

In choosing among these law firms, make sure you review their entire website and the many cases they are handling. Some firms might be less appropriate for your situation, and it is necessary on your part to do the due diligence to figure this out.

ADF logo

The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF)

The ADF appears to be the most active of all these new organizations. Time after time in my reports it shows up as either the law firm handling a new lawsuit, or as the winner of a new victory. It also appears willing to take the widest range of cases. From its website:

ADF is the world’s largest legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, the sanctity of life, parental rights, and God’s design for marriage and family.

We were launched in 1994 by leaders in the Christian community. While many of our clients are Christians, we’ve also defended the rights of Jews, Muslims, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and people of no faith. Religious freedom is for everyone. In our campus free speech work, we’ve represented students of varied religious faiths as well as libertarian, conservative, pro-life, pro-conservationist, and LGBT students. And outside the United States, ADF International has worked to stop genocide against Christians, Yazidis, Shia Muslims, and other religious minorities.

If you think after reviewing ADF’s webpage it can help you, you can submit a request for help here.

First Liberty logo

First Liberty

First Liberty has also been quite successful and aggressive in winning cases involving violations of the First Amendment specifically focused on religious liberty. From its website:

First Liberty Institute is the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious liberty for all Americans. We believe that every American of any faith—or no faith at all—has a fundamental right to follow their conscience and live according to their beliefs.

Our nation’s Founding Fathers established this right as our First Freedom nearly two and a half centuries ago, and we intend to keep it that way.

If you think your case is a fit for this law firm, you can submit a request for help here.

Institute for Free Speech logo

The Institute for Free Speech (IFS)

IFS is specifically focused on defending free speech, essentially taking the place of the ACLU, which abandoned that cause decades ago. From its website:

The Institute for Free Speech promotes and defends the First Amendment rights to freely speak, assemble, publish, and petition the government through strategic litigation, communication, activism, training, research, and education. Our dedicated professional staff works tirelessly to protect political speech under these freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment. We are the nation’s largest organization dedicated solely to protecting First Amendment political speech rights.

Free political speech guaranteed by the First Amendment is the most important right. It is the right that allows citizens to criticize, challenge, and ultimately improve their government. Despite its importance, the Institute for Free Speech is the only organization with a dedicated professional staff and mission seeking to promote and defend American citizens’ First Amendment political speech rights.

If you think your case is a fit for this law firm, you can submit a request for help here.

Thomas More Society Logo

The Thomas More Society

The Thomas More Society is one of the older of these law firms, founded in 1997 to successfully fight a class action lawsuit by NOW and others in the abortion industry that attempted to block the release of documentary against abortion. Since then it has widened its focus. From its website:

The Thomas More Society is a not-for-profit, national public interest law firm dedicated to restoring respect in law for life, family, and religious liberty. Based in Chicago, the Thomas More Society defends and fosters support for these causes by providing high quality pro bono legal services from local trial courts all the way to the United States Supreme Court.

For example, the society now has departments specifically dedicated to fighting the COVID mandates.

If you think your case is a fit for this law firm, you can submit a request for help here.

Liberty Counsel logo

Liberty Counsel

Liberty Counsel was the law firm that recently won the $10 million lawsuit for 500 fired healthcare workers. Its main focus is that of a Christian ministry dedicated to advocating that view to the world. However, it also considers that advocacy to include the strong defense through litigation of religious liberty. From its website:

Natural laws are laws that transcend time, cultures and political institutions. The Declaration of Independence recognizes those laws as “laws of nature and of nature’s God.” The first rights recognized by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution are the freedom of religion and speech.

Religious freedom, often referred to as the free exercise of religion, is a natural right and is part of the inalienable rights affirmed by the constitutions of the United States and every one of the states. Liberty Counsel advances these liberties on behalf of pastors, churches, ministries, corporations, students, teachers, parents, and others.

Liberty Counsel advances religious freedom by advocating, supporting advancing and defending the good news about Jesus Christ. Liberty Counsel works collaboratively with churches and provides counsel and legal representation on issues consistent with our mission and values.

Liberty Counsel attorneys have represented clients before the United States Supreme Court, federal courts of appeal, federal district courts, state supreme, appellate, and trial courts, and administrative agencies, and have spoken or testified before Congress, state legislative committees, and in local government meetings.

If you think your case is a fit for this law firm, you can submit a request for help here.

WILL logo

The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL)

Though dedicated to a wide range of issues defending “the rule of law, individual liberty, constitutional government, and a robust civil society,” unlike the other law firms above WILL is mostly focused on defending those rights within the state of Wisconsin. That focus however has made it extremely successful in shifting the policy and government of Wisconsin away from the left’s oppressive policies. From its website:

Before the formation of the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (“WILL”) in 2011, conservatives and libertarians in Wisconsin were severely outnumbered in the legal arena. One report estimated that the left could call upon the services of five public-interest law firms with estimated annual budgets of $7 million. Those forces were opposed by only one conservative organization with a part-time lawyer and a budget of less than $60,000.

…After our first decade, we have become one of the largest state-based litigation centers in the country, with a lengthy string of victories in state and federal court. In addition, we are now the most active and influential free market policy organization in the state of Wisconsin. These groups are commonly known as “think tanks” – and we certainly believe that thought is important. But reflection must lead to action, and based on our litigation, policy output, and ability to move the needle, we might more accurately be called a “do tank.”

Despite the localized nature of its focus, WILL has repeatedly shown up in nationally covered stories. Its ability to shift the debate across the entire U.S. has been quite astonishing.

If you think your case is a fit for this law firm, you can submit a request for help here.

NCLA logo

New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA)

Like the other law firms above, NCLA is focused on defending the constitutional freedoms of Americans, though its focus appears aimed more at what it calls “the administrative state.” From its website:

NCLA views the Administrative State as an especially serious threat to constitutional freedoms. No other development in contemporary American law denies more rights to more Americans. Although Americans still enjoy the shell of their Republic, there has developed within it a very different sort of government—a type, in fact, that the Constitution was designed to prevent. This unconstitutional administrative state within our U.S. government is the focus of NCLA’s concern. NCLA urges Americans to recognize the administrative threat and join our civil liberties movement against it.

NCLA files original lawsuits and amicus curiae briefs asking judges in state and federal courts to overturn unlawful and unconstitutional actions by federal agencies that violate people’s civil liberties. These cases cut across multiple state and federal agencies and fall into one of seven problem areas where administrative power tends to evade the U.S. Constitution’s permitted avenues of control: (1) Administrative controls on free speech; (2) Agencies operating outside the scope of their statutory authority or using improperly divested legislative power (Nondelegation); (3) Judicial deference to administrative agencies (Chevron and its ilk); (4) Unlawful administrative searches; (5) Due process violations, especially in administrative adjudications; (6) Guidance abuse; (7) Spending conditions that purport to bind conduct.

Its website does not appear to have a page to submit an application for legal help. If you think your case fits NCLA’s focus, contact information however can be found here.

Speech First logo

Speech First

The last organization on my list, Speech First, is a bit different than the others. Instead of being simply a law firm dedicated to fighting constitutional violations, it is a member organization designed to bring together like-minded people freedom-lovers, providing them aid and support, including legal help. It does not appear there is any fee to join. If you are a college student and a member of Speech First, it will act as your representative should you find your free speech rights under attack on campus. From its website:

By coming together, we’ve created a nationwide community of free speech supporters to reassure students that they won’t fight these cases alone and that they’ll be supported every step of the way: on campus, in the media, and in court. We’re a membership association of students, parents, faculty, alumni, and concerned citizens who’ve had enough of the toxic censorship culture on college campuses, and who want to fight back.

We believe that free and open discourse is an essential component of a comprehensive education. We are committed to restoring the freedom of speech on college campuses because we believe that by exposing students to different and challenging ideas, they will emerge stronger, smarter, and more resilient.

Speech First will protect students’ free speech rights on campus. Through advocacy, litigation, and education, we will put colleges and universities on notice that shutting down unwanted speech will no longer be tolerated.

The organization has also gone to court to defend students’ rights on campus. I suspect if you are not a member but have found your free speech rights violated on campus, it will still be very interested in hearing from you. A tip line is provided here.

As I have been shouting now for almost a decade, Americans have got to stop running and begin fighting. The reason the blacklist culture of the left has been so fearless in its oppression in the past few years is because it has not been challenged much by ordinary Americans. Too often Americans have looked the other way — out of fear or apathy — when these thugs moved in to destroy someone less.

This fear and apathy must end. If you are involved in a situation that might be applicable to any of the goals of any of these law firms, don’t sit home, do nothing, and accept defeat. Let them know. Because these freedoms are so thoroughly enshrined in American jurisprudence, the odds of winning in court is very very high.

But you can’t win if you don’t fight. It is time to fight, at all levels.

Genesis cover

On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

 
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.


The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
 

"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News

10 comments

  • Ian C.

    As the threat is targeting the whole Western world, I’d like to add the Free Speech Union in the UK. (Not a law firm itself, but provides access to legal assistance.)

    https://freespeechunion.org/

  • Ian C. Thank you for the link. As you say, it is not a law firm, but more a political activist organization.

    On political matters I focus on the U.S., so getting info outside the U.S. is good. The question remains, are their non-profit law firms in the UK doing this work?

  • Bob Wilson

    Thank you, Mr. Zimmerman, for this helpful list. I believe all these organizations are 501 c(3) charities and donations to them are fully deductible for your income tax. For those of the age where you need to make RMD deductions from your IRA, you can donate them to these charities. Look up qualified charitable deductions.

  • sippin_bourbon

    Speaking of lawyers, I hope Lake has a lot of lawyers in Pinal County.

    Late returns, released after all others are counted and the margins are known, are always fishy, to me.

  • Andi

    Thank you so much for this list! I have bookmarked it just in case.

    Minor edit in first paragraph: “begun to assemble”

  • It is the only comment necessary that The People must now redress their grievances not to their elected officials, but to legal remedy to sue those same officials.

  • dcose

    Thank you Instapundit

    Being a conservative in California who wants to build affordable housing (Accessory Dwelling Units ADUs) to say the least has been challenging. Through your webpage I’ve contacted the New ACLU. Maybe they can help.

    Again a Thank you to Mr. Zimmerman

  • Cotour

    dcose

    You want to build affordable housing, and that is fine.

    BUT,

    1. The government of California promotes the homeless being homeless, who just like in Seattle and other cities are by a majority drug addicts and living in tents on the streets. And many of which would benefit from being taken into custody and dried out and given a chance to live so degree of a life. They are dependent on drugs, many are criminals because of it and they are dependent on the welfare that is provided by the government.

    And 2. If you were able to build and provide those low-income housing units, it would be the government that would be further enlisted to pay for the majority of those rents that would now house these still drug addled human beings.

    And what stops this potential to actually lift these dependent people out of their situations? The government and the “Progressive” / Liberal / Leftist politicians who through their no bail no jail Sorosian funded non prosecutorial philosophy where the drug addict and the criminal are empowered to continue to hold civil society hostage.

    So good luck with your hopeful construction projects, unfortunately they will just balloon the budget demands that the taxpayers are forced through their captive to government nature and the problem will never be solved. Not without some degree of sanity being reinstalled in society.

    This is a part of the Globalist Great Reset and the “Progressive” “We are more moral” agenda where in time the only result will be the confiscation of all of the people’s wealth and freedom and their compliance, a Socialist utopia.

    Oy.

  • Cotour

    Purely a button pushing political bumper sticker:

    IN THE INTELLECTUALIZED “PROGRESSIVE” (D) REALITY (Copy and share)

    In the intellectualized “Progressive” (D) radical Left fantasy “In the future you will own nothing, and you will be happy” Sorosian reality this and people like him is who will be in charge and will runs things, locally.

    https://youtu.be/EAVeeG6qZOU

    You’re a Democrat?

    Oy, you had better institute a personal checkup from the neck up.

    https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.eBuKKhBg8DF8rThwnhVjUAHaEK?pid=ImgDet&rs=1

  • Another organization to consider is FIRE, The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression https://www.thefire.org

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