Alliance Defending Freedom: For Faith. For Justice.
Alliance Defending Freedom is a servant ministry building an alliance to keep the door open for the spread of the Gospel by transforming the legal system and advocating for religious liberty, the sanctity of life, and marriage and family.
Recognizing the need for a strong, coordinated legal defense against growing attacks on religious freedom, more than 30 prominent Christian leaders launched Alliance Defending Freedom in 1994. Over the past 18 years, this unique legal ministry has brought together thousands of Christian attorneys and like-minded organizations that work tirelessly to advocate for the right of people to freely live out their faith in America and around the world.
Building an Alliance for Victory
Unlike any other legal organization, Alliance Defending Freedom employs a unique combination of strategy, training, funding, and litigation to empower its allies and achieve victory for religious freedom.
STRATEGY
300
allied
organizations
2,200
Allied
Attorneys
52
states/territories
represented
31
countries
represented
Alliance Defending Freedom coordinates legal efforts with thousands of Allied Attorneys and hundreds of Christian legal and policy organizations by developing overarching strategy and providing critical resources to achieve victory in important cases.
TRAINING
Alliance Defending Freedom is transforming the legal system by building a strong alliance of legal professionals through its world-class training programs for Christian attorneys and law students.
Training Attorneys on the Front Lines
1,600
Allied Attorneys trained
740,000
pro bono hours reported
$141 million
value of pro bono hours
At the Alliance Defending Freedom Legal Academy, Christian attorneys are trained by some of the nation's top litigators and constitutional law experts to effectively combat attacks on religious freedom. In return, these Allied Attorneys provide hundreds of pro bono/dedicated hours to defend the Body of Christ in their local communities.
Training the Next Generation
1,000
law students trained
140
top law schools represented
260
law clerkships held
600
served on law journals
At the Blackstone Legal Fellowship leadership development program, exceptional Christian law students from many top-tier law schools receive intense training in constitutional law and Christian worldview. They are then empowered to rise to positions of influence as lawyers, legal scholars, policy makers, and judges who can impact America’s legal system to ensure that justice and religious liberty prevail.
FUNDING
2,300
grants provided
$36 MILLION
awarded to fund projects and cases
Since 1994, Alliance Defending Freedom has provided thousands of allies with critical funding for precedent-setting victories protecting religious liberty, the sanctity of life, and marriage and family. Many of these victories would not have been possible without the necessary funding to sustain a quality, long-term legal defense.
LITIGATION
44
in-house attorneys
200
current cases
2,500
calls for legal help each year
Alliance Defending Freedom employs a highly professional team of skilled constitutional law litigators who work in close cooperation with more than 2,200 Allied Attorneys to confront serious threats to religious liberty. They carefully select strategic cases to set necessary legal precedents and – thanks to the generosity of thousands of Allied Ministry Friends – provide legal assistance free of charge.
A Winning Record
80% of all cases litigated have been won
38 U.S. Supreme Court victories
Thanks be to God, Alliance Defending Freedom and its allies have won 8 out of every 10 cases litigated to conclusion, including 38 precedent-setting victories at the U.S. Supreme Court and hundreds more in the lower courts.
As a result, the God-given, constitutionally protected right to religious freedom has been restored for thousands of Christians – students, parents, business owners, employees, pastors, and community members – who were previously censored or punished, but are now free to live out their faith.
Apart from Christ, we can do nothing. John 15:5
A History of Success
Since its founding in 1994, Alliance Defending Freedom has made a significant impact for God’s Kingdom through its winning legal efforts to preserve religious freedom for people of faith.
Take a look at some of the most notable accomplishments achieved over the past 18 years.
