IJ Allies Spread Freedom And Justice In Their Communities

IJ is home to dozens of full-time litigators, legislative specialists, researchers, activists, and communications staff. Liberty & Law details the impact their work has in cities and states throughout America. Of course, they can’t do it alone—IJ partners with heroic clients to take on government goliaths, and more than 10,000 supporters make it all possible. 

But it also takes countless dedicated and passionate individuals working in their own communities to secure the freedoms IJ fights so hard to defend. Here are just a few recent examples:

Shinara Morrison’s son, Gavin, had thrived in his North Carolina school. But when the family moved to Texas, he struggled to transition to a new education system. Shinara tried switching schools and even homeschooling. In 2022, Shinara attended an IJ activism event, where she heard about an education savings account program the Texas Legislature was considering. She was inspired to immediately get involved, making multiple trips to the state capitol to meet with legislators and tell her and Gavin’s story. The family also volunteers at each of our events to tell other parents and students about how they can be a part of the movement. Last fall, Shinara spent hours manning the cotton candy machine at our family fun night, where hundreds of families got to hear about school choice and sign a banner that was later delivered to Texas Speaker of the House Dade Phelan. The family was also featured in an op-ed published last year asking legislators to pass an ESA. Grassroots activists like Shinara are instrumental as we work to support the expansion of educational choice in Texas and nationwide.

David Seal of Dandridge, Tennessee, is a citizen inspired by IJ’s work to restrict the use of eminent domain. In 2006, a year after the U.S. Supreme Court’s reviled decision in Kelo v. New London, legislators in Nashville enacted a modest reform to Tennessee’s eminent domain laws. IJ’s Castle Coalition graded the reforms a D-minus, among the least meaningful in the nation. David’s fifth-generation family farm was threatened by eminent domain for an “industrial park” a few years later, and he rallied his community to ultimately protect more than 100 homes. The experience prompted him to contact IJ to learn about how he could change his state’s eminent domain laws—and to run for Jefferson County Commissioner, a position he held from 2014 to 2018. 

Three of the strongest legislative reforms enacted in Tennessee post-Kelo originated in Jefferson County, with formal resolutions made by the county commission featuring IJ’s model eminent domain language—and championed by David. Among those are Public Chapters 748 and 1034, passed by the Tennessee Legislature earlier this year. Among other features, those acts allow property owners to defend against a taking by asking a court to make a determination of necessity. David has been a one-man force for property rights both in and out of office, working to shield Tennesseans against eminent domain abuse.

John Shaw is a Delaware-based attorney who specializes in jury trials of complex commercial litigation ranging from patent infringement to stock purchase agreements and other contractual indemnities. John is also passionate about pro bono work, and his work has earned the Caleb R. Layton III Service Award from the Delaware District Court. He has partnered with IJ on litigation under the Freedom of Information Act; he served as local counsel in our successful Wilmington towing case; and he represents small-business entrepreneurs whose cases we aren’t able to take on ourselves—including an eyebrow threader who received threats from the Delaware Board of Cosmetology and Barbery about his mall kiosk in Wilmington. There, the board backed down after John helped demonstrate that the business fit within the grandfathering provisions of the new regulatory scheme. John is currently representing three braiders in Pennsylvania, where a successful outcome would help advance IJ’s long-term strategy to change the Commonwealth’s braiding laws. The case is scheduled to go to trial in November.

As IJ pursues broad, transformative legal change nationwide, allies like Shinara, David, and John are hard at work advancing our shared ideals of freedom and justice in their own communities.

Lee McGrath was IJ’s senior legislative counsel (now retired) and Jordan Banegas is an IJ assistant director of activism.

Biking for Freedom and Economic Prosperity

In December, a supporter named Rahul Razdan made made an unusual announcement: He planned to bike across the country—and would dedicate his ride to IJ, generating nearly two dozen donations through a generously matched “GoFundMe” fundraiser. His journey, completed this spring, is a testament to the determination and commitment of IJ clients and supporters alike. 

In Rahul’s own words, here’s why he did it:

The Southern Tier is a 3,000-mile cross-country bicycle route stretching from San Diego, California, to St. Augustine, Florida. It’s an incredible journey that prompts deep personal reflection. 

As an immigrant, I firmly believe that the U.S. possesses a unique system that empowers the individual. The principles of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” along with the Bill of Rights and the specific enumerated powers of the U.S. Constitution, create a distinctive mental framework for the relationship between the individual and the government. This has led to remarkable economic growth driven by empowered individuals. 

It is crucial to safeguard this fundamental aspect of the U.S. system. Therefore, when the chance arose with the Southern Tier, I chose to support the Institute for Justice, which undertakes the essential constitutional work vital for sustained prosperity.

From all of us at IJ: Congratulations, Rahul, on completing your amazing ride!