Celebrating Ten Years of HAN

By Kate McFarland

Almost ten years ago, in the summer of 1992, IJ brought together 14 law students at Georgetown University for our first law student conference. The following summer, we held our first policy activist conference, training 20 policy activists from around the country. The mission was simple: to connect and activate people and organizations interested in the cause of liberty with each other and the Institute for Justice to enhance our movement’s effectiveness in litigation and advocacy.

Since then, the Human Action Network (HAN) of IJ-trained lawyers and activists has grown to over 550 members in 43 states and five countries. Over the years, several HAN members have referred cases to IJ. It was Nelson Griswold who informed us of Tennessee licensing laws for casket retailers, which prompted an IJ suit resulting in the law being struck down in federal court last year. We have also referred cases to HAN members when our docket is full or when they fall outside the scope of our mission, but nonetheless involve important issues for liberty. For example Chris Luongo, a graduate of our 1993 law student conference, won an important victory for an independent cab driver in Edgewater, New Jersey.

We also turn to our policy activist HAN members for grassroots support. HAN members at the Buckeye Institute provided essential help in our Cleveland school choice case by conducting a study entitled "Public Choices, Private Costs: An Analysis of Spending and Achievement in Ohio Public Schools." This study was submitted as evidence in our case in the federal district court. We will be calling on the Buckeye Institute and many others as our Cleveland case goes to the U.S. Supreme Court this winter.

As IJ enters its second decade of litigating for liberty, our goal is to invigorate the Human Action Network and make it an even more active force in the movement. We are counting on you to provide the talent, and we will continue to provide the opportunities.

Kate McFarland is IJ’s HAN and outreach coordinator.