Washington Legal Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) is a non-profit legal organization based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1977, the Foundation's stated goal is "to defend and promote the principles of freedom and justice." The organization promotes pro-business and free-market positions and is widely perceived as conservative. WLF addresses a range of legal matters, including commercial free speech, corporate criminal liability, environmental regulation, food and drug law, health care, and intellectual property.
WLF is three organizations in one. It is a public interest law firm that brings original lawsuits, files amicus briefs, intervenes in court cases, and petitions agencies for rulings; it is a legal think tank that publishes in seven different formats once every two weeks; and it is a non-profit communications company that hosts regular conferences, media briefings, and national educational advertising campaigns.
Representative cases:
Abigail Alliance v. von Eschenbach, 495 F.3d 695 (D.C. Cir. 2007).
WLF represented terminally-ill plaintiffs who successfully sued their doctor for potentially life-saving drugs that had not yet been approved by the FDA.
Auvil v. CBS "60 Minutes", 67 F.3d 816 (9th Cir. 1995).
The appellate court affirmed the trial court's rejection of a challenge to evidence which supported a "60 Minutes" broadcast alleging that the Washington apples contained an a carcinogen that harms children.
Goldwater v. Carter, 617 F.2d 697 (D.C. Cir. 1979).
WLF represented several members of congress who enjoined President Carter from unilaterally terminating the Mutual Defense Treaty between the U.S. and Taiwan without the support of a majority of both houses of Congress or two thirds of the Senate. (The Supreme Court later overruled this decision.)
Phillips v. Washington Legal Foundation, 524 U.S. 156 (1998).
This case determined that interest earned on a fund belongs to the person who owns the principal. The government’s effort to seize the funds in question was unconstitutional under the takings clause of the 5th Amendment as applied through the 14th Amendment.
Washington Legal Foundation v. Henney, 202 F.3d 331 (D.C. Cir. 2000).
This lawsuit forced the government to admit that neither the FDAMA nor the CME Guidance independently authorizes the FDA to prohibit or sanction drug manufacturers from discussing off-label uses for their drugs.
Washington Legal Foundation v. U.S. Department of Justice, 491 U.S. 440 (1989).
This case held that the Federal Advisory Committee Act did not apply to Justice Department's solicitation of the American Bar Association’s views on prospective judicial nominees.
Washington Legal Foundation v. Shalala, U.S. Dist. Lexis 9377 (1993).
The court dismissed the complaint for lack of standing when WLF sued on behalf of a cardiac surgeon and two human heart valve recipients to enjoin the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services and the FDA from enforcing regulatory restrictions that would subject human-tissue heart valves to FDA's premarket approval process.
the Washington Legal Foundation filed a brief that argued that certain provisions of the PATRIOT Act's do not violate the First Amendment
. The statues makes it a crime to give any form of aid, including humanitarian assistance, to groups on the State Department’s list of foreign terrorist organizations.
, the Brookings Institution
, the Cato Institute
, and the Heritage Foundation
.
WLF is three organizations in one. It is a public interest law firm that brings original lawsuits, files amicus briefs, intervenes in court cases, and petitions agencies for rulings; it is a legal think tank that publishes in seven different formats once every two weeks; and it is a non-profit communications company that hosts regular conferences, media briefings, and national educational advertising campaigns.
Litigating
Since its founding, the Washington Legal Foundation has litigated more than 1,108 court cases, participated in 745 administrative and regulatory proceedings, initiated 138 judicial misconduct investigations, and filed more than 165 attorney and reform actions and petitions.Representative cases:
Abigail Alliance v. von Eschenbach, 495 F.3d 695 (D.C. Cir. 2007).
WLF represented terminally-ill plaintiffs who successfully sued their doctor for potentially life-saving drugs that had not yet been approved by the FDA.
Auvil v. CBS "60 Minutes", 67 F.3d 816 (9th Cir. 1995).
The appellate court affirmed the trial court's rejection of a challenge to evidence which supported a "60 Minutes" broadcast alleging that the Washington apples contained an a carcinogen that harms children.
Goldwater v. Carter, 617 F.2d 697 (D.C. Cir. 1979).
WLF represented several members of congress who enjoined President Carter from unilaterally terminating the Mutual Defense Treaty between the U.S. and Taiwan without the support of a majority of both houses of Congress or two thirds of the Senate. (The Supreme Court later overruled this decision.)
Phillips v. Washington Legal Foundation, 524 U.S. 156 (1998).
This case determined that interest earned on a fund belongs to the person who owns the principal. The government’s effort to seize the funds in question was unconstitutional under the takings clause of the 5th Amendment as applied through the 14th Amendment.
Washington Legal Foundation v. Henney, 202 F.3d 331 (D.C. Cir. 2000).
This lawsuit forced the government to admit that neither the FDAMA nor the CME Guidance independently authorizes the FDA to prohibit or sanction drug manufacturers from discussing off-label uses for their drugs.
Washington Legal Foundation v. U.S. Department of Justice, 491 U.S. 440 (1989).
This case held that the Federal Advisory Committee Act did not apply to Justice Department's solicitation of the American Bar Association’s views on prospective judicial nominees.
Washington Legal Foundation v. Shalala, U.S. Dist. Lexis 9377 (1993).
The court dismissed the complaint for lack of standing when WLF sued on behalf of a cardiac surgeon and two human heart valve recipients to enjoin the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services and the FDA from enforcing regulatory restrictions that would subject human-tissue heart valves to FDA's premarket approval process.
Amicus curiæ
In Holder v. Humanitarian Law ProjectHolder v. Humanitarian Law Project
Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project, 561 U. S. ____ , was a case decided in June 2010 by the United States Supreme Court regarding the USA PATRIOT Act which prohibits material support to groups designated as terrorists...
the Washington Legal Foundation filed a brief that argued that certain provisions of the PATRIOT Act's do not violate the First Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
. The statues makes it a crime to give any form of aid, including humanitarian assistance, to groups on the State Department’s list of foreign terrorist organizations.
In All Fairness
WLF regularly publishes an advertisement titled “In All Fairness” in the national edition of the New York Times, in which the organization presents its point of view on an issue.Partnerships
WLF regularly partners with Washington-based think tanks such as the American Enterprise InstituteAmerican Enterprise Institute
The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research is a conservative think tank founded in 1943. Its stated mission is "to defend the principles and improve the institutions of American freedom and democratic capitalism—limited government, private enterprise, individual liberty and...
, the Brookings Institution
Brookings Institution
The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, D.C., in the United States. One of Washington's oldest think tanks, Brookings conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in economics, metropolitan policy, governance, foreign policy, and...
, the Cato Institute
Cato Institute
The Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1977 by Edward H. Crane, who remains president and CEO, and Charles Koch, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the conglomerate Koch Industries, Inc., the largest privately held...
, and the Heritage Foundation
Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong...
.