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Atlantic Legal Foundation

Established in 1977, the Atlantic Legal Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public interest law firm with a history of advocating for individual liberty, limited and efficient government, free enterprise, sound science in the courtroom and school choice. Atlantic Legal provides legal representation, without fee, to individuals, corporations, trade associations, parents, scientists and educators.

The Foundation’s leadership includes current and retired chief legal officers of some of the nation’s largest corporations, partners of major law firms and distinguished scientists and educators.

Programs

Constitutional Issues

Atlantic Legal has participated in important cases involving the capricious exercise of governmental power, as well as the interplay between U.S. law and international law. For example, it has challenged local attempts to regulate interstate and foreign commerce and attempts to bar military recruiters from college campuses. It has argued for equal opportunity in state contracting, forcing a major overhaul of New Jersey’s contracting procedures.

Sound Science

Atlantic Legal is the nation’s preeminent public interest law firm in advocating for the admissibility of sound medical and expert testimony in toxic tort, product liability and other litigation. Atlantic Legal fights the admissibility of “junk” science. In a leading case on this subject, Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, in the Supreme Court of the United States of America, the majority opinion cited the Foundation’s incisive friend of the court brief in its decision that set the evidentiary standard for expert scientific testimony in federal courts. Representing scores of noted scientists, including 16 Nobel laureates, the Foundation has successfully challenged bogus theories of medical causation in numerous federal and state cases.

Position Papers

Atlantic Legal regularly publishes papers considering legal issues of public concern: for example, inadequate judicial compensation and its impact on the New York economy, the need for a restructuring of New York’s court system and correcting weaknesses in law school curricula.

Corporate Governance

Atlantic Legal advocates againgost intrusive regulation of business and advocates for responsible corporate governance. The Foundation was an early proponent of preservation of the attorney-client privilege against compulsory waiver of that essential protection where corporate misconduct has been asserted. It has challenged abuse of class action procedures.

School Choice

Atlantic Legal’s work in this area is focused on supporting charter schools. A major part of this effort is publishing a series of state law guides to educate charter school leaders in combating organizing campaigns of labor unions. The Foundation has evaluated and proposed reforms in New York’s unduly burdensome charter renewal procedures and has counseled many charter schools when they have been challenged by those reluctant to change the status quo. More about Atlantic Legal’s role in charter school issues can be found at: http://ww.defendcharterschools.org/

Funding

Atlantic Legal is a nonprofit foundation that relies on grants from corporations, private foundations, law firms and personal donations. Donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Locations

Atlantic Legal has offices in Larchmont, NY in Westchester County and Midtown Manhattan.