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Non-profit

Lawyering Project

Parent Organization: Tides Center
Website:

lawyeringproject.org/
Location:

Brooklyn, NY
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Project of:

Tides Center
Type:

Abortion Advocacy Group
Formation:

2017
President:

Stephanie Toti, Founder, Senior Counsel, and Project Director

The Lawyering Project (TLP) is a New York-based pro-abortion litigation and advocacy1 organization that is fiscally sponsored by the left-of-center Tides Center. 2 TLP works to increase access to abortions across the United States by opposing and challenging laws that limit access to abortions. 3

TLP is a member of the Partnership for Abortion Care with pro-abortion Whole Woman’s Health Alliance and Jane’s Due Process4 and a partner of pro-abortion advocacy organization All Above Justice. 5 In 2020, TLP sued Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) to lift abortion restrictions put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. 6

Since 2017, TLP has received over $1,000,000 of grants from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation,7 8 $600,000 from the pro-abortion Tara Health Foundation,9 and $100,000 from the left-of-center Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund. 10

Stephanie Toti,11 a former litigator for the pro-abortion advocacy group Center for Reproductive Rights, is TLP’s senior counsel and project director. 12 In 2016 she was lead counsel for Whole Woman’s Health in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt,13 a case in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Texas cannot place restrictions on abortion services that create an undue burden for women seeking an abortion. 14

History and Leadership

Stephanie Toti founded TLP in 2017. 15 She is the organization’s senior counsel and project director. 16 Previously, Toti was a litigator for the pro-abortion advocacy group Center for Reproductive Rights17 and was lead council for Whole Woman’s Health in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, where the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Texas cannot place restrictions on abortion services that create an undue burden for women seeking an abortion. 18 Toti is on the board of directors of Whole Woman’s Health Alliance. 19

In interviews with NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts and Catholics for Choice, a group of self-described pro-abortion Catholics funded by the Warren Buffett-funded Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, Toti has called abortion “not an elective procedure,” described abortion as “time sensitive” and the only option for one who does not want to give birth to a child,” 20 and has said so-called reproductive rights are inextricably intertwined with religious liberty and are expressions of one’s religious beliefs and moral convictions. 21

Activities and Funding

TLP works with its network of health care providers, abortion funds, governmental entities, researchers, religious congregations, and abortion seekers22 to eliminate laws that regulate abortion. 23 TLP’s litigation specifically targets regulation of abortion provider (TARP) laws’ restrictions on medication and telemedicine abortion; mandatory counseling requirements; parental consent for minors; laws criminalizing abortion providers;24 and expanding constitutional protections for abortion. 25 TLP also provides pro bono counsel on abortion litigation throughout the United States26

In 2020, TLP joined pro-abortion advocacy groups Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Center for Reproductive Rights to sue Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) to lift restrictions on abortion that were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. 27

Since its founding TLP has filed lawsuits in federal court regarding abortion and abortion-related policies in Connecticut, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, and Texas. 28

TLP is a member of the Partnership for Abortion Care with pro-abortion Whole Woman’s Health Alliance and Jane’s Due Process29 and a partner of pro-abortion advocacy organization All Above Justice. 30

Funding

The Lawyering Project is a fiscally sponsored project of the left-of-center Tides Center. 31

In 2020, TLP received $560,000 from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation as a three-year grant for work on the Partnership for Abortion Care, a partnership with Whole Woman’s Health Alliance and Jane’s Due Process. 32 33

Between 2017 and 2019, the Lawyering Project received $600,000 from the pro-abortion Tara Health Foundation. 34

In 2017, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation donated $179,000 to the Tides Center to be allocated to TLP. 35

In 2017, TLP received a $539,000 grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation for the Partnership for Abortion Care, a partnership between Lawyering Project and the pro-abortion Whole Woman’s Health Alliance and Jane’s Due Process. 36

TLP received a $100,000 grant from the left-of-center Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund as a part of the fund’s COVID-19 pandemic activities. 37

References

  1. “Donate.” The Lawyering Project. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://lawyeringproject.org/donate/.
  2. “Donate.” The Lawyering Project. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://lawyeringproject.org/donate/.
  3. “Our Work.” The Lawyering Project. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://lawyeringproject.org/our-work/.
  4. “Tides Center For the Lawyering Project’s Partnership For Abortion Care.”  Date Awarded: October 28, 2017. William & Flora Hewlett Foundation. Accessed June 23, 2021. https://hewlett.org/grants/tides-center-for-the-lawyering-projects-partnership-for-abortion-care/.
  5. “Partner Organizations.” All Above All – Catalysts for Abortion Justice. National Partners. Accessed June 23, 2021. https://allaboveall.org/about/partner-organizations/.
  6. “Ohio Abortion Providers File Emergency Lawsuit to Preserve Essential Abortion Procedures During Pandemic.” American Civil Liberties Union. Press Conference. March 30, 2020. Accessed June 23, 2021. https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/ohio-abortion-providers-file-emergency-lawsuit-preserve-essential-abortion-procedures.
  7. “William & Flora Hewlett Foundation.” Return of a Private Foundation. (Form 990-PF.) 2017. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/941655673/201823069349100707/IRS990PF.
  8. “Tides Center For the Lawyering Project’s Partnership For Abortion Care.” Date Awarded: October 14, 2020.  William & Flora Hewlett Foundation. Accessed June 23, 2021. √https://hewlett.org/grants/tides-center-for-the-lawyering-projects-partnership-for-abortion-care/.
  9. “The Lawyering Project.” Tara Health Foundation Donation Grants. Accessed June 23, 2021. https://tarahealthfoundation.org/the-lawyering-project/.
  10. “Grant Highlights, Pandemic Emergency Fund.” Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund. Accessed June 23, 2021. https://ldgfund.org/our-grants/grant-highlights/.
  11. Grant, Rebecca. “Litigate and Innovate in Abortion Law: That’s Stephanie Toti’s Mission.” Rewire News Group. September 26, 2018. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://rewirenewsgroup.com/article/2018/09/26/litigate-and-innovate-in-abortion-law/.
  12. “Stephanie Toti.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed June 23, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-toti-837346123/.
  13. “Meet the Attorney Who Just Won the Historic Abortion Rights Case at the Supreme Court.” Democracy Now! June 29, 2016. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://www.democracynow.org/2016/6/29/meet_the_attorney_who_just_won.
  14. “Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt.” Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/15-274.
  15. Grant, Rebecca. “Litigate and Innovate in Abortion Law: That’s Stephanie Toti’s Mission.” Rewire News Group. September 26, 2018. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://rewirenewsgroup.com/article/2018/09/26/litigate-and-innovate-in-abortion-law/.
  16. “Stephanie Toti.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed June 23, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-toti-837346123/.
  17. “Stephanie Toti.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed June 23, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-toti-837346123/.
  18. “Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt.” Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/15-274.
  19. “About Us.” Whole Woman’s Health Alliance website. Accessed June 23, 2021. https://www.wholewomanshealthalliance.org/about/.
  20. “Stephanie Toti Pro-Choice Check-in.” NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts Facebook Video. April 25, 2020. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://m.facebook.com/prochoicemass/videos/270452644357080/.
  21. Conscience. “A Conversation with Stephanie Toti.” Catholics for Choice. Conscience Magazine. September 15, 2020. https://www.catholicsforchoice.org/resource-library/a-conversation-with-stephanie-toti/.
  22. “Where We Work.” The Lawyering Project. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://lawyeringproject.org/.
  23. “Our Mission.” The Lawyering Project. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://lawyeringproject.org/.
  24. Grant, Rebecca. “Litigate and Innovate in Abortion Law: That’s Stephanie Toti’s Mission.” Rewire News Group. September 26, 2018. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://rewirenewsgroup.com/article/2018/09/26/litigate-and-innovate-in-abortion-law/.
  25. “Constitutional Litigation.” The Lawyering Project. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://lawyeringproject.org/our-work/constitutional-litigation/.
  26. “Pro Bono Opportunities.” The Lawyering Project. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://lawyeringproject.org/careers/pro-bono-opportunities/.
  27. “Ohio Abortion Providers File Emergency Lawsuit to Preserve Essential Abortion Procedures During Pandemic.” American Civil Liberties Union. Press Conference. March 30, 2020. Accessed June 23, 2021. https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/ohio-abortion-providers-file-emergency-lawsuit-preserve-essential-abortion-procedures.
  28. “Where We Work.” The Lawyering Project. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://lawyeringproject.org/.
  29. “Tides Center For the Lawyering Project’s Partnership For Abortion Care.”  Date Awarded: October 28, 2017. William & Flora Hewlett Foundation. Accessed June 23, 2021. https://hewlett.org/grants/tides-center-for-the-lawyering-projects-partnership-for-abortion-care/.
  30. “Partner Organizations.” All Above All – Catalysts for Abortion Justice. National Partners. Accessed June 23, 2021. https://allaboveall.org/about/partner-organizations/.
  31. “Donate.” The Lawyering Project. Accessed June 24, 2021. https://lawyeringproject.org/donate/.
  32. “Tides Center For the Lawyering Project’s Partnership For Abortion Care.”  Date Awarded: October 28, 2017. William & Flora Hewlett Foundation. Accessed June 23, 2021. https://hewlett.org/grants/tides-center-for-the-lawyering-projects-partnership-for-abortion-care/.
  33. “Tides Center For the Lawyering Project’s Partnership For Abortion Care.” Date Awarded: October 14, 2020.  William & Flora Hewlett Foundation. Accessed June 23, 2021. √https://hewlett.org/grants/tides-center-for-the-lawyering-projects-partnership-for-abortion-care/.
  34. “The Lawyering Project.” Tara Health Foundation Donation Grants. Accessed June 23, 2021. https://tarahealthfoundation.org/the-lawyering-project/.
  35. “William & Flora Hewlett Foundation.” Return of a Private Foundation. (Form 990-PF.) 2017. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/941655673/201823069349100707/IRS990PF.
  36. “Tides Center For the Lawyering Project’s Partnership For Abortion Care.”  Date Awarded: October 28, 2017. William & Flora Hewlett Foundation. Accessed June 23, 2021. https://hewlett.org/grants/tides-center-for-the-lawyering-projects-partnership-for-abortion-care/.
  37. “Grant Highlights, Pandemic Emergency Fund.” Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund. Accessed June 23, 2021. https://ldgfund.org/our-grants/grant-highlights/.
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Lawyering Project


Brooklyn, NY