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Washington Legal Foundation

The nation’s premier public-interest law firm & policy center

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Who We Are

WLF is a national public-interest law firm and legal policy center. Our mission is to defend American free enterprise by litigating, educating, and advocating for a free market, a limited and accountable government, individual and business civil liberties, and the rule of law.

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What We Do

WLF’s vital work to uphold the legal principles that support our free enterprise system are categorized into:

  1. Combating Litigation Abuse
  2. Defending the Rule of Law
  3. Opposing Overregulation
  4. Protecting Economic Liberties

Litigation

Litigation is the backbone of WLF’s public-interest efforts. WLF litigates before state and federal courts and agencies nationwide. WLF’s litigation team takes a multi-faceted approach to protect and uphold the legal principles that support our free-enterprise system.

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Legal Studies

Successfully advocating for a legal and regulatory environment that fosters free enterprise requires the timely dissemination and steady reinforcement of compelling arguments and ideas to those lawyers and jurists who shape the law.

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The Latest

WLF Legal Pulse
July 9, 2026

4th Circuit Donning-and-Doffing Decision Offers New Lessons on Opposing Class Cert

The Fourth Circuit stresses that trial courts must carefully examine the possible disparities among class members' claims when performing Rule 23 predominance and commonality inquiries.

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Press Releases
July 9, 2026

WLF Asks Eleventh Circuit to Reverse Punitive Damages Award Against Tesla

Benavides v. Telsa, Inc.

WLF asked the Eleventh Circuit to reverse a $200 million punitive- damages award in a products-liability case against Tesla.

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WLF Legal Pulse
July 9, 2026

A Hard-Won FDA Permission for Truthful Tobacco Risk-Reduction Speech

After a needlessly long process, FDA's decision to allow a nicotine-pouch maker to claim a reduced risk of harm on the product merits praise, though mostly for its momentary deviation from hostility to the 1st Amendment.

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WLF Legal Pulse
July 8, 2026

Is Your Compliance Program Up to Date? DOJ Expects Companies to Learn from Others’ Mistakes

Businesses will only benefit from the Justice Department's credit for effective compliance programs if the programs reflect lessons from the relevant industry and geographic region.

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Working Papers
July 8, 2026

Public Nuisance & the First Amendment: Free-Speech Defenses to an Expanding Tort

The First Amendment stands in the way of governments and their contingent-fee counsel’s use of public-nuisance theories to regulate how companies speak about lawful goods, take part in public debate, or exercise editorial discretion.

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The Rise and Potential Fall of the “One Molecule” Theory in Ethylene Oxide Litigation

The plaintiffs' theory that any dose of an artificial substance can cause harm initially succeeded in ethylene oxide litigation, but the tide is turning toward sound science in several state courts reviewing EtO claims.

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Press Releases
July 7, 2026

WLF Urges FCC to Preempt California’s Carrier-of-Last-Resort Rules

In re AT&T Services

WLF urged the Federal Communications Commission to grant a petition requesting that it preempt California’s carrier-of-last-resort regime, a rule-set that prevents broadband installation.

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