The Center for Individual Rights (CIR) is a non-partisan public interest law firm that litigates cases in defense of individual liberties. CIR’s cases challenge state actions it views as unconstitutional and excessive government regulations. ¹

Activity

The Center for Individual Rights intends to defend individual liberties and focuses much of its litigation on cases involving free speech and civil rights. One of CIR’s earliest cases involved defending academic freedom by invalidating speech codes on college campuses that infringed on students’ and professors’ freedom of speech in 1991. ²

The Center for Individual Rights is litigating the case of Krehbiel v. BrightKey, Inc., stating that Greg Krehbiel was discriminated against based on race and political opinion. CIR claims that Krehbiel was unjustly terminated from his job in response to pressure from other employees who disagreed with political opinions he expressed on his personal podcast, which is a violation of county, state, and federal anti-discrimination laws. ³

The Center for Individual Rights is litigating the case of Norman Wang v. University of Pittsburgh et al., stating that Wang’s right to free speech was violated when the University removed him from his position as program director. In 2020, Wang published an article in a peer-reviewed medical journal critical of affirmative action, which sparked social media activism and attacks leading to Wang’s removal. ⁴

Funding

The Center for Individual Rights is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. While CIR does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from the Sarah Scaife Foundation ($110,000 in 2019), ⁵ the F. M. Kirby Foundation ($100,000 in 2016), ⁶ and the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation ($75,000 in 2019). ⁷

People

Terence Pell is the president of the Center for Individual Rights. Pell formerly worked as deputy assistant secretary for civil rights at the Department of Education and as chief of staff at the Office of National Drug Control Policy. ⁸

Board of Directors

James Mann is the chair of the board of CIR. Mann formerly worked as deputy assistant attorney general of the tax division at the Department of Justice and as general counsel at the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. ⁹

Robert George is the director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. George is the former chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, a former member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and a former judicial fellow at the U.S. Supreme Court. ¹⁰

James Piereson is president of the William E. Simon Foundation, vice chair of Donors Trust, and a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Piereson is the former executive director of the John M. Olin Foundation. Piereson sits on the boards of the Pinkerton Foundation, the TWS Foundation, the Philanthropy Roundtable, and the Foundation for Cultural Review. ¹¹

Jeremy Rabkin is a law professor at the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University. Rabkin serves on the board of academic advisers of the American Enterprise Institute and formerly served on the board of the U.S. Institute of Peace. ¹²

1. “About.” Center for Individual Rights, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.cir-usa.org/about/.
2. “History.” Center for Individual Rights, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.cir-usa.org/about/history/.
3. “Krehbiel v. BrightKey, Inc.” Center for Individual Rights, November 15, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.cir-usa.org/case/krehbiel-v-brightkey/.
4. “Norman Wang v. University of Pittsburgh et al.” Center for Individual Rights, December 15, 2020. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.cir-usa.org/case/norman-wang-v-university-of-pittsburgh/.
5. Sarah Scaife Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2019, Part XV, Line 3a.
6. F. M. Kirby Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2016, Part XV, Line 3a.
7. Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2019, Part XV, Line 3a.
8. “Terence J. Pell.” Center for Individual Rights, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.cir-usa.org/professional/terence-pell/.
9. “James B. Mann.” Center for Individual Rights, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.cir-usa.org/professional/james-mann/.
10. “Robert P. George.” Princeton University, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2021 https://politics.princeton.edu/people/robert-p-george.
11. “Directors & Staff.” Donors Trust, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.donorstrust.org/who-we-are/directors-and-staff/.
12. “Jeremy A. Rabkin.” George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School. Accessed November 27, 2021. https://www.law.gmu.edu/faculty/directory/fulltime/rabkin_jeremy.