Our Issues
Opposing Overregulation
Businesses face a regulatory landscape plagued by vague and expansive rules, limited legislative or executive oversight, and a judiciary that is still too deferential to bureaucrats. States increasingly layer on additional—and sometimes conflicting—requirements. We oppose overregulation because economic growth and innovation depend on clear legal limits, democratic accountability, and regulatory restraint grounded in statute, not policy preference.
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Combating Litigation Abuse
Civil litigation has become an industry unto itself—driving up prices, increasing insurance costs, and placing a hidden tax on innovation. We combat abusive litigation because a fair civil-justice system must compensate real harm—not inflate damages, manufacture claims, or reward litigation without injury. WLF demands that courts hold plaintiffs’ lawyers to the exacting standards that govern civil litigation, class actions, expert evidence, punitive damages, and personal jurisdiction.
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Protecting Economic Liberties
The fundamental freedoms America’s Founders guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution are essential engines of economic growth, entrepreneurship, and individual opportunity. Government regulators and special-interest activists, however, have little respect for basic rights such as property ownership, commercial speech, and the right to contract. WLF is a leading voice for these economic liberties, advocating in courts, regulatory agencies, and through public education.
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Defending the Rule of Law
A free society depends on a simple but enduring principle: The law governs, not the whims of those in power. The Constitution implements that principle through defined rights and a deliberate separation of legislative, executive, and judicial authority. Laws must be publicly enacted, provide fair notice, be evenly enforced, and be adjudicated through transparent processes. WLF defends the rule of law because constitutional structure is not abstract; it provides the predictable legal framework businesses rely on to plan, invest, and innovate.
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Litigation is the backbone of WLF’s public-interest efforts. WLF litigates before state and federal courts and agencies nationwide.
Cases
WLF is noted for its aggressive, professional litigation skills, which enable it to prosecute high-profile, landmark cases while representing a diverse public-interest base. Our seasoned attorneys have broad expertise in several fields.
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Regulatory Matters
WLF files comments with government agencies urging that their regulations are supported by sound science, properly interpret and implement the underlying statute, and respect individual and economic liberties under the U.S. Constitution.
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Month in Review
We feature highlights WLF’s court and agency filings, as well as decisions issued in response to WLF’s filings.
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To submit an amicus request
WLF is an active amicus participant, especially at the U.S. Supreme Court and the federal courts of appeals. To submit an amicus request, please prepare a concise amicus memo detailing the relevant case background, the legal issues presented, why the case is a good fit with WLF’s free-market mission, and the deadline for amicus briefs.
Requests should be addressed to WLF’s General Counsel and Vice President of Litigation Cory Andrews (candrews@wlf.org). Because WLF receives amicus requests in far many more cases than it can ever hope to file, timing is key. WLF prefers to receive requests, at minimum, six weeks before the amicus deadline. WLF generally avoids participating in business-to-business litigation. WLF welcomes requests that come with a pro bono offer by an expert attorney (not, of course, retained by any party) to do the actual writing.
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. In 1986, WLF established its Legal Studies Division to deliver such well-informed critiques and principled analyses to key decision makers in a variety of publication formats.
Publications
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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Programming
WLF sponsors webinars and media briefings featuring experts discussing legal issues in depth.
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WLF Legal Pulse blog
The WLF Legal Pulse blog publishes original, moderated commentary and provides a platform to keep those interested in WLF’s activities updated, integrated, and informed.
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