WASHINGTON— The Heritage Foundation today launched the Legal Action Center, which will advocate for liberty across all areas of public-interest litigation, and has named Justin Butterfield as its director.  

Drawing on Heritage’s extensive legal and policy expertise, the new litigation center will fight for conservative principles on issues such as freedom of speech, religious liberty, election integrity, the administrative state, the right to life, medical freedom, and parental rights.

Roger Severino, vice president for economic and domestic policy at Heritage, made the following statement.

“Heritage's strength is getting conservative policies enacted, and we have added a vital tool for enshrining those policy wins in court precedents that will last for generations. The Legal Action Center will pursue strategic litigation to challenge government overreach and to ensure people's rights are protected from left-wing legal activists and bureaucrats alike.”  

Butterfield previously served as senior advisor for HIPAA and senior advisor for Conscience and Religious Freedom in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  

He added the following statement:  

“I am honored to join The Heritage Foundation’s Legal Action Center, and I look forward to leading a great team to protect Constitutional government and the freedom of all Americans.”  

Lea Patterson also joined the Legal Action Center as senior litigation counsel. Patterson previously clerked for the Honorable Raymond W. Gruender of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. She served on the litigation team for Carson v. Makin, a 2022 landmark Supreme Court decision protecting school choice and religious freedom.

Justin Butterfield and Lea Patterson are admitted in Texas and are not admitted in Washington, D.C. Any practice within D.C. is limited to matters and proceedings before federal courts and agencies.