how to become an allied attorney with adf

What is Alliance Defending Freedom?

Alliance Defending Freedom funds pro-active litigation and advocacy to protect the right of Christians to speak and act consistent with their faith, defend the sanctity and dignity of life from conception to natural end, and protect family values, including a biblical definition of marriage and parental rights.

What is a training opportunity?

Training opportunities that will equip you to more effectively defend religious liberty, the sanctity of life, and marriage and family; A grant program that enables you to advocate for clients who can’t afford to defend their liberties; Strategically designed legal projects that meaningfully impact the legal culture;

What is the ELC process?

The Executive Legal Council (ELC) is an advisory group comprised of the CEO, the leaders of U.S. and International legal teams or their designees, and the senior attorney directing the grants and funding program.

Can you apply for supplemental funding for a grant award?

Grant award recipients may apply for supplemental funding in a pending case or project. However, simply because Alliance Defending Freedom has funded the case or project in the past does not guarantee that supplemental funding will be granted.

Does Alliance Defending Freedom provide legal aid?

Yes. Alliance Defending Freedom has allied with a number of attorneys contributing their services in efforts to dramatically increase Christian legal aid to the poor. However, qualifying legal aid efforts should be directed in a manner that helps advance religious liberty, the sanctity of life, and marriage and family.

What is ADF in the US?

ADF is one of the ​largest and most powerful​ anti-LGBTQ groups in the nation and has ​ played a role ​ in over 50 Supreme Court decisions, including on cases regarding abortion, religion, tuition tax credits, and LGBTQ issues. The legal powerhouse has taken dozens of extreme anti-LGBTQ positions, such as ​ supporting ​ Russia’s so-called “gay propaganda” law, ​ defending the ​ discredited and dangerous ​ practice of conversion therapy, ​ advocating ​ against adoption and foster care by LGBTQ people, and ​ supporting ​ policies that ban trans people from using facilities that align with their gender identity. To advance its mission, ADF uses its more than $50 million in ​ revenue ​ to ​ provide ​ attorneys with “the resources, training, and support they need to stand boldly for religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and marriage and family.”

Who is Rob McCully?

Allied attorney ​ Rob McCully ​ is a ​ partner ​ at ​ Shook, Hardy & Bacon​, which “placed 99th on The American Lawyer’s 2018 Am Law 200 ranking” and “ranked as the 130th highest grossing law firm in the world” with $350,700,000 in gross revenue.

Who is Jay Thompson?

Allied attorney ​Jay T. Thompson​ is a ​ partner ​ at ​ Nelson Mullins ​, which “placed 87th on The American Lawyer’s 2018 Am Law 200 ranking,” according to law.com, and “ranked as the 110th highest grossing law firm in the world” with $405,426,000 in gross revenue.

Who is Tim Swickard?

Allied attorney ​ Tim Swickard​ is a ​ shareholder ​ at Greenberg Traurig. ​Greenberg Traurig “placed 14th on The American Lawyer’s 2018 Am Law 200 ranking,” according to law.com, and “ranked as the 19th highest grossing law firm in the world” on the 2018 Global 200 Survey, bringing in $1,477,180,000 in gross revenue. According to its website ​, it also “received the most overall first-tier rankings in the​ U.S. News ​ – Best Lawyers ‘Best Law Firms’ report” for eight years in a row.

Who is Kerri Kupec?

Kerri Kupec​, former ADF legal counsel and director of communications , currently ​ serves in the executive branch as director of the Office of Public Affairs at the Department of Justice and has ​ defended ​ the Trump administration’s policy of prohibiting transgender people from serving in the military.

Who is Kyle Duncan?

Trump-appointed federal Judge ​Kyle Duncan​, the ​ former ​ general counsel for Becket Law, which has ​ represented ​ ​ anti- LGBTQ ​clients in the past, has also been labeled an allied attorney and has a ​ history ​ of opposing LGBTQ equality. While at Becket, Duncan authored an amicus brief for the Supreme Court opposing marriage equality and was counsel in a case ​ almost heard ​ by the Supreme Court supporting a school’s discriminatory anti-trans bathroom policy.

Who are the ADF attorneys?

In particular, allied attorneys ​ Kevin Clarkson​ and ​ Timothy Fox​ ​ serve ​ as the attorneys general of Alaska and Montana , respectively. ADF has also labeled Nevada ​ Solicitor General​ ​ Lawrence Van Dyke ​an allied attorney.

Young Lawyers Academy

The ADF Young Lawyers Academy seamlessly combines outstanding legal training with an unwavering commitment to Christian principles. It is designed for recent law school graduates and lawyers in their first few years of practice, with an emphasis on those working in large and mid-size firms, as well as state and federal government offices.

Event Information

The application process has concluded for the 2021 Young Lawyers Academy. Please check back soon for more information, and to apply for the 2022 Young Lawyers Academy.

Your gift today can have up to four times the impact thanks to Allied Attorneys!

Across America and around the world, there are people of faith like you who are facing punishment because of what they believe.

Your tax-deductible gift can have four times the impact!

ADF Allied Attorneys are passionate about defending religious freedom. But imagine how powerless many of them would be without your help.

Your Religious Freedom Matters

The Indian Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of religion of all persons. ADF India partners with allied lawyers across the country to protect this right and to ensure that no one is targeted for their faith.

How We Respond

We provide legal aid and assistance to defend life and liberty inside and outside the courts of law.