Pacific Legal Foundation

Pacific Legal Foundation
FormationMarch 5, 1973; 51 years ago (1973-03-05)
Type501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
94-2197343
Headquarters555 Capitol Mall, Suite 1290
Sacramento, California, U.S.
President and CEO
Steven D. Anderson
Chair
Robert D. Connors[1]
Budget
Expenses: $20,312,107 (FYE December 2022)[2]
Websitepacificlegal.org

The Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) is an American nonprofit public interest law firm established for the purpose of defending and promoting individual freedom.[3][4] PLF attorneys provide pro bono legal representation, file amicus curiae briefs, and hold administrative proceedings with the stated goal of supporting property rights, equality and opportunity, and the separation of powers. The organization is the first and oldest libertarian public interest law firm, having been founded in 1973.[5][6]

Pacific Legal Foundation is primarily funded by donations from individuals, foundations, associations, and small businesses. Except for court-awarded attorney fees for case victories, the organization receives no government funding.[7][8][9] The foundation is generally described as supporting libertarian or conservative causes.[10]

As of April 2024, PLF has won 18 cases before the United States Supreme Court, with the most recent being Sheetz v. County of El Dorado.[11]

  1. ^ "Board of Trustees".
  2. ^ From Rogers & Company: https://pacificlegal.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Pacific-Legal-Foundation-Final-Audit-Report-FY-2022.pdf, at the PLF page: https://pacificlegal.org/financials/
  3. ^ Zumbrun, Ronald A. (2004). "Life, Liberty, and Property Rights," in Bringing Justice to the People: The Story of the Freedom-Based Public Interest Law Movement (Lee Edwards, ed.). Washington, DC: Heritage Books, ISBN 0974366528, pp. 41–44
  4. ^ Dolan, Maura (February 8, 1996). "Giving the Right Its Day in Court". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  5. ^ Charles Murray, By the People: Rebuilding Liberty without Permission, page 146.
  6. ^ Damon Root, Overruled: The Long War for Control of the U.S. Supreme Court, page 106.
  7. ^ "Financials". Pacific Legal Foundation. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  8. ^ "Submit A Case". Pacific Legal Foundation. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  9. ^ "Donate". Pacific Legal Foundation. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  10. ^ "Libertarian group sues to block student debt cancellation". AP NEWS. September 27, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
  11. ^ Yeatman, Nicole W. C. (April 14, 2024). "The government had George Sheetz 'over a barrel.' He took his case to the Supreme Court—and won". Pacific Legal Foundation. Retrieved May 27, 2024.