Public Interest and Advocacy

Overview

Leaders stake out a position. We defend and support our advocacy and non-profit clients as they champion Constitutional freedoms and argue for public policy reforms.

Our public interest clients are passionate about issues, not corporate filings. We make their jobs easier by taking care of their legal infrastructure while they purse their missions. We advise them on corporate formation, tax-exempt status and other regulatory issues that define their spheres of influence. Our service areas include employment laws, election regulations, Internal Revenue Service compliance and religious liberty issues, as well as state and federal registrations.

The strength of our practice lies in the scope and value of our, allowing our clients to rely on one law firm for the legal advice they need to grow their organization and champion their stakeholders. In recent years, we have been on the forefront of efforts to defend clients’ religious liberty and free speech rights. This has included cases where we defended organizations from government overreach in employment decisions and other workplace regulations, defamation claims from political opponents and threats to their tax-exempt and non-profit status.

Many clients only need a little assistance. When they want to take on big issues, we have the resources to represent them all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Our team has argued constitutional issues at the nation’s high court and dozens of successful jury trials.

Representative Clients

National grassroots advocacy organizations
Georgia grassroots organization active in local issues
PAC active in 2016 GOP primary election
Laurelbrook Sanitarium and School, Inc.

Experience

Obtained jury verdict in favor of Tea Party Patriots in trademark and defamation jury trial
Successfully defended non-profit advocacy group against claim that it did not own rights to its name and that it had defamed a former director. Jury found that "Tea Party Patriots" trademark did not belong to former board member and restored all rights to the mark. The defamation claims were dismissed upon motion for directed verdict.
Amicus Curiae brief before the United States Supreme Court
Wrote amicus curiae brief in support of challenge to Minnesota statutes limiting free speech activities near voting areas.
Successful argument before the United States Supreme Court
Successfully challenged government regulations on equal protection grounds.
Tax litigation
Co-counsel in federal lawsuit seeking redress against the IRS and individual defendants for unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination against non-profit educational and advocacy groups.

Representing a large, international aircraft parts manufacturer in complex property tax dispute.

Representing one of the world's largest religious organizations in an unprecedented sales and use tax case.
Hecht v. Laurelbrook Sanitarium and School
Represented the defendant, a Seventh Day Adventist school and sanitarium, against claims brought by the plaintiff under Tennessee’s workers’ compensation statutes. The defendant’s defense was based in part under the United States Constitution and the Tennessee Religious Freedom Restoration Act.