Anya Bidwell is an attorney at the Institute for Justice. She operates out of IJ’s Texas office and litigates cases to protect and promote economic, speech, and property rights.

Here at IJ, Anya’s been privileged to work on a number of high-profile cases, including against the Tennessee Retailers Association before the United States Supreme Court and against the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Fifth Circuit. She also worked to ensure that Wyoming passed a law banning roadside waivers of property rights.

Before joining IJ, Anya was a litigation attorney with a top national law firm, handling cases in trial and appellate courts. She earned her J.D. with honors from the University of Texas, where she worked as a student attorney at the United States Supreme Court Clinic. Two years prior to entering law school, Anya received a Master’s degree in Global Policy Studies, also from the University of Texas, and wrote a thesis on asymmetric warfare.

Anya grew up in the Former Soviet Union. Her upbringing motivated her to study law and become an advocate for a strong, independent judiciary.

Anya is an op-ed contributor to the Texas Tribune and has written for numerous other publications, including the Wall Street Journal. She is also the host of live recordings of our Short Circuit podcast, which take place on student campuses across the country.