Law Forward is a left-of-center public interest law firm founded in 2020 by lawyers who have worked for Democratic interests in Wisconsin for many years. The firm has been involved in lawsuits in Wisconsin, mostly dealing with electoral issues, such as redistricting, recounts, and presidential electors from the state. ^{1 2 3}

Founding and History

Law Forward was founded in late 2020 by Doug Poland and Jeff Mandell, two lawyers who are partners at the Stafford Rosenbaum law firm who had previously done work for left-of-center candidates and causes. Poland and Mandell stated that the purpose of the group was to push back against what they characterized as the use of Wisconsin as a “testing ground” by right-of-center politicians and activists. The group explicitly states that it desires to use litigation to push “progressive” policies and is especially focused on voting, electoral redistricting, and administrative law. ^{4 5}

Finances

When the group was profiled in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel when it launched in October of 2020, it declined to name its funders or the size of its budget. ⁶

Policies and Projects

As of July 2022, Law Forward is involved, either as a legal party or friend of the court, in 17 lawsuits in Wisconsin. These lawsuits deal largely with electoral and procedural disputes. The organization states that it is focused on fighting gerrymandering, contesting legislation passed by the state legislature (which it complains is unrepresentative of the state’s population due to gerrymandering), exploring legal innovation and ways to advance left-of-center goals by “test driving” new legal approaches, and attempting to force state regulatory bodies to enforce or change regulations. It also states that it is working on voting rights and access and enforcing the separation of powers in the state government. ⁷

Connection to Democrats

The leadership and staff of Law Forward are connected to the administration of Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers (D) and Wisconsin Democrats in general. Doug Poland, the co-founder and litigation director, has directly represented Evers. ⁸

Despite claims that Law Forward is working to protect democracy and democratic access in Wisconsin, prior to the founding of the group Mandell and Poland were involved in successful legal challenges to the Green Party gaining access to the Wisconsin ballot. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noted that Democrats were concerned that the Green Party would siphon away votes from Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Mandell was also involved in legal proceedings to keep independent candidate Kanye West off the ballot in Wisconsin as well. ⁹

Prior to joining Law Forward, the group’s executive director, Nicole Safar, was the assistant deputy secretary at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services under the Evers administration. ¹⁰

Leadership

Jeff Mandell is the president, co-founder, and lead counsel of Law Forward. He is also a partner at the Stafford Rosenbaum law firm. Since 2020, he has appeared before the Wisconsin Supreme Court more than any other private lawyer. Mandell was involved in the lawsuit to keep the Green Party and independent candidate Kanye West off the Wisconsin ballot during the 2020 election. ^{11 12}

Mandell has contributed $100 to the left-of-center PAC ActBlue and $250 to Democrat Tom Nelson’s Senate campaign. ¹³

Doug Poland is the co-founder and litigation director of Law Forward. Like Jeff Mandell, he is a partner at the Stafford Rosenbaum law firm. Notably, he was involved in the case Gill v. Whitford involving gerrymandering that was heard before the U.S. Supreme Court. He was also involved in the lawsuit to keep the Green Party off of the Wisconsin ballot during the 2020 election. ^{14 15}

Poland has contributed over $1,000 to left-of-center causes and candidates, including the PAC ActBlue and $250 to Democrat Tom Nelson’s Wisconsin Senate campaign. ¹⁶

Law Forward’s legal advisory council contains a number of lawyers and law professors. It also includes Nicole Berner, the general counsel for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU); former U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI), and former Wisconsin Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton (D). ¹⁷

1. ^[1] Marley, Patrick. “Law Forward Is a New Law Firm Meant to Push Back against Conservatives.” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, October 22, 2020. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2020/10/22/law-forward-new-law-firm-meant-push-back-against-conservatives/3720920001/.
2. “About Law Forward.” Law Forward. Accessed June 30, 2022. https://lawforward.org/about-us.
3. “Our Work.” Law Forward. Accessed July 4, 2022. https://lawforward.org/our-work.
4. Marley, Patrick. “Law Forward Is a New Law Firm Meant to Push Back against Conservatives.” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, October 22, 2020. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2020/10/22/law-forward-new-law-firm-meant-push-back-against-conservatives/3720920001/.
5. “About Law Forward.” Law Forward. Accessed June 30, 2022. https://lawforward.org/about-us
6. Marley, Patrick. “Law Forward Is a New Law Firm Meant to Push Back against Conservatives.” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, October 22, 2020. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2020/10/22/law-forward-new-law-firm-meant-push-back-against-conservatives/3720920001/.
7. “Our Work.” Law Forward. Accessed July 4, 2022. https://lawforward.org/our-work.
8.  Marley, Patrick. “Law Forward Is a New Law Firm Meant to Push Back against Conservatives.” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, October 22, 2020. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2020/10/22/law-forward-new-law-firm-meant-push-back-against-conservatives/3720920001/.
9. Marley, Patrick. “Law Forward Is a New Law Firm Meant to Push Back against Conservatives.” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, October 22, 2020. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2020/10/22/law-forward-new-law-firm-meant-push-back-against-conservatives/3720920001/.
10. “About Law Forward.” Law Forward. Accessed June 30, 2022. https://lawforward.org/about-us.
11. ^[1] Marley, Patrick. “Law Forward Is a New Law Firm Meant to Push Back against Conservatives.” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, October 22, 2020. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2020/10/22/law-forward-new-law-firm-meant-push-back-against-conservatives/3720920001/.
12. “About Law Forward.” Law Forward. Accessed June 30, 2022. https://lawforward.org/about-us
13. “Browse Individual Contributions:Jeff Mandell.” FEC.gov. Accessed July 1, 2022. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Jeff+Mandell&min_date=01%2F01%2F2000&max_date=12%2F31%2F2022.
14. “About Law Forward.” Law Forward. Accessed June 30, 2022. https://lawforward.org/about-us.
15. Marley, Patrick. “Law Forward Is a New Law Firm Meant to Push Back against Conservatives.” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, October 22, 2020. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2020/10/22/law-forward-new-law-firm-meant-push-back-against-conservatives/3720920001/.
16. “Browse Individual Contributions: Doug Poland.” FEC.gov. Accessed July 1, 2022. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Doug+Poland&min_date=01%2F01%2F2000&max_date=12%2F31%2F2022&contributor_state=WI.
17. “Legal Advisory Council.” Law Forward. Accessed July 1, 2022. https://lawforward.org/about-us/legal-advisory-counsel