About Us

Who We Are

Public Justice fights to protect workers, consumers, families, and the planet by keeping power in check. As the Trump administration attempts to erase the Constitution, dismantle life-saving regulations, and legislate bigotry, we’re in the courtroom fighting against those who abuse, pollute, and cheat the public.

Public Justice was founded as Trial Lawyers for Public Justice in 1982. More than 40 years later, we’re still a nonprofit legal advocacy organization, we’re still led by trial lawyers, and we still take on corrupt corporations, misguided government agencies, and anyone who stands against equity and equality.

We’re known for our work in federal and state courthouses, but as corporations increasingly conspire with judges and politicians to limit citizens’ rights, we’re also educating the public and empowering communities facing tangible threats to our civil rights, our justice system, and our planet.

Public Justice is putting decades of experience to work in its battles against a Trump administration with no regard for the Constitution.

We’ve won battles with deceptive pharmaceutical companies, irresponsible manufacturers, unscrupulous payday lenders, unjust employers, punitive credit card companies, unfair school athletic programs, inhumane government detention centers, reckless polluters, and more. Many of these David-and-Goliath stories have been captured in Hollywood films like Surviving Ohio State, Silkwood and Dark Waters and in books like Defenders of Appalachia: The Campaign to Eliminate Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining and the Role of Public Justice and Fighting for Public Justice: Cases & Trial Lawyers That Made a Difference .

Our History

Public Justice was founded in 1982 as a collection of lawyers determined to fight Ronald Reagan’s assault on government agencies. Our organization has evolved over more than four decades to fight for the rights of women, people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ communities. Today, Public Justice has a better track record in front of conservative Republican judges than any other organization in the country, winning many cases in front of the U.S. Supreme Court with the majority opinion written by a Bush or Trump appointee.

1982

Liuzzo v. United States
Our first case sought restitution from the government years after a paid informant for the FBI participated in the 1965 killing of a civil rights worker. Although the agency wasn’t ultimately held liable, the case exposed abusive law-enforcement practices for the first time.

1988

Haffer v. Temple University
As the nation’s first Title IX sex discrimination case involving intercollegiate athletics, we joined the National Women’s Law Center as co-counsel and lead trial counsel resulting in a landmark settlement requiring new women’s teams and comparable treatment for men and women athletes.

1991

International Union v. Johnson Controls
To shield itself from legal liability, battery manufacturer Johnson Controls banned all “non-sterile” female employees from positions involving lead exposure. Our amicus brief helped persuade the U.S. Supreme Court that this “fetal protection policy” could not be justified, and that the policy was blatant, illegal gender discrimination.

2001

Aleksich v. Remington Arms Co.
We convinced a federal court to unseal records that showed gun manufacturer Remington was hiding evidence that a popular rifle model was defective and could fire without the trigger being pulled. Unsealed documents revealed that Remington knew of the defects since the 1940s yet failed to take its dangerous rifles off the market.

Trial lawyers for public justice founders, with Robert Cartwright Sr. (striped tie) and J.D. Lee in the center. Photo courtesy Robert Cartwright Sr.

Joan Claybrook and Ralph Nader, founding members of Public Justice, played crucial roles in advocating for consumer rights and creating a national public interest law firm. Photo courtesy of Joan Claybrook.

2012

Yakima Valley Dairy Cases
We secured a huge victory in our lawsuit against mega dairies in Washington State’s Yakima Valley for their role in dumping tons of manure onto the ground and contaminating the local water supply. A landmark court ruling found that livestock manure should be regulated under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, resulting in clean drinking water for Yakima residents for the first time in decades.

2018

Snyder-Hill v. The Ohio State University
We represent over 100 survivors of sexual abuse by Ohio State doctor Richard Strauss, who abused students from 1978 to 1998. Our Title IX suits hold the university accountable for concealing the abuse. After a district court dismissed the claims, we appealed successfully, arguing that many survivors only realized what they had experienced constituted abuse when an investigation was announced in 2018. The fight for justice continues.

2019

Ray v. Judicial Correction Services
We represent thousands of individuals in Alabama whose constitutional rights were violated by for-profit probation company Judicial Correction Services (JCS). Initiated in 2012, this litigation challenges JCS’s excessive fines and fees that caused significant debt for defendants, many of whom were placed on probation without conviction. JCS profited from monthly fees while failing to inform courts of debtors’ inability to pay. The case remains active, facing ongoing legal challenges.

2023

Urquidi v. City of Los Angeles
We filed a class action lawsuit against the County and City of Los Angeles, challenging the jailing of individuals who could not pay bail set by the County’s schedule. Plaintiffs, including Phillip Urquidi, were incarcerated due to financial inability. The case resulted in a court ruling that struck down the cash bail system and established a new zero-bail policy prioritizing risk assessments for pretrial release, reducing unfair incarceration of low-income individuals while ensuring public safety.

Helen Reddout is the co-founder and longtime president of CARE (Community Association for Restoration of the Environment), a Yakima Valley grassroots environmental justice group that played a leading role in the dairy pollution litigation. In the Yakima Valley dairy cases, she served as a community organizer, plaintiff representative, public spokesperson, and advocate for residents affected by groundwater contamination from large dairy operations.

Plaintiffs’ lawyers outside LA Superior Court following **Urquidi v. City of Los Angeles**.
Pictured from left to right: Brad Brian (Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP – MTO), Rowley Rice (MTO), Brian Hardingham (Public Justice), Salil Dudani (Civil Rights Corps – CRC), Brianne Holland-Stergar (MTO), Jeff Stein (CRC), Leslie Bailey (Public Justice), Micah Clark Moody (CRC), Alec Karakatsanis (CRC), Tia Baheri (MTO) (Photo courtesy Public Justice)

Our litigators set precedents in the courtroom, but our team also partners with advocacy organizations to spread the word about these critical issues. And when we win or settle lawsuits, we don’t just land on a monetary reward for our clients; we build settlement agreements that commit the defendants to long-term obligations, and we monitor those and ensure that they are enforced. So, in a Trump administration, when the Department of Education won’t look out for students, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau won’t look out for consumers, and the Environmental Protection Agency won’t look out for the environment, we hold the line with decades of experience guiding our every step.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Public Justice is committed to a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment where all staff and members feel respected and valued regardless of gender, gender identity or expression, age, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or identity, disability, education, or veteran status.

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Careers

Join a great team focused on the most serious challenges facing our country. We offer excellent benefits, including at least three weeks of paid vacation, a four-day work week, sick leave, employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance premiums, and a 401(k).

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Financial Information

We are committed to providing our supporters with clear and accessible financial information. Below, you’ll find links to our Form 990 filings for the past several years, which detail our financial health and the impact of your contributions.

Support Public Justice

We file cases in the name of workers, harmed communities, and advocacy groups—at no cost to litigants. Your donation will allow us to expose more unethical practices and secure more victories.

Questions?

Contact Kelly Simon, Vice President of Development and Membership, at ksimon@publicjustice.net or (202) 861-5253.

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