Legal Insurrection Foundation (LIF)

The Legal Insurrection Foundation also publishes the websites CriticalRace.org and EqualProtect.org.  ¹

Activities

The Legal Insurrection Foundation was established in 2019 as an extension of the Legal Insurrection blog, which was created in 2008 by William A. Jacobson, a clinical professor of law at Cornell Law School. LIF conducts research and reports on free speech and free expression attacks throughout the country, especially as it relates to “cancel culture,” parental rights, and critical race theory (CRT).  ¹

The Legal Insurrection Foundation opposes CRT; diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); cancel culture; and antisemitism along with the marginalization of parental rights and what it considers to be a racially discriminatory equity agenda across universities, businesses, and government. LIF claims that the foundations of American education are under attack by what it calls “destructive, revolutionary forces,” that children are being indoctrinated with race-based, Marxist narratives, and that universities are using “reverse racism” to advance DEI.  ¹

LIF states that it has nearly a million monthly page views and that is has been influential in forcing institutions to make impactful changes.  ¹

LIF launched CriticalRace.org in February 2021 and maintains a database of over 700 educational institutions, including universities, K-12 schools, and military academies. The database provides an overview of state policies on CRT and DEI and basic information on each catalogued institution. There is also more detailed information on admission policies, anti-racism, bias, and diversity trainings, curriculum changes and requirements, program and research funding, and symbolic actions taken. ²

LIF’s website, EqualProtect.org, or the Equal Protection Project (EPP), opposes alleged discrimination committed in the name of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). EPP investigates wrongdoing based on racism of any kind, provides public education on the matter, and litigates when necessary. ³

Funding

The Legal Insurrection Foundation is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses. While LIF does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from the Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund ($274,323 in 2023), ⁴ the Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program ($265,500 in 2023), ⁵ and the National Philanthropic Trust ($162,250 in 2023). ⁶

Leadership

William A. Jacobson is the founder and as of 2025 was the president of the Legal Insurrection Foundation as well as a clinical professor of law and director of the Securities Law Clinic at Cornell Law School. ⁷

As of 2025, Martha Wallick was the treasurer of the board of LIF. Wallick is a former president of the Barrington Public Schools PTO, a former member of the board of the Barrington Education Foundation, and a former delegation aide for Rhode Island at the 2016 Republican National Convention.  ⁷

As of 2025, Lisa Daft was the secretary of the board of LIF and the chair of the Barrington Republican Town Committee.  ⁷

As of 2025, Kemberlee Kaye was the operations and editorial director at LIF and the managing editor of CriticalRace.org. Kaye formerly held positions at FreedomWorks, Americans for Prosperity, and Project Veritas.  ⁷

As of 2025, Timothy R. Snowball was a senior attorney at LIF. Snowball formerly worked at the Institute for Justice, Pacific Legal Foundation, and the Freedom Foundation.  ⁷

As of 2025, Amanda B. Stulman was a senior researcher and attorney at LIF. She is the founder of the USA branch of Keep Prisons Single Sex.  ⁷

As of 2025, Mark J. Perry was a senior research fellow for LIF’s Equal Protection Project. Perry was formerly a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.  ⁷

As of 2025, Adam Kissel was a senior research fellow at LIF and a visiting fellow for higher education reform at the Heritage Foundation. At that time, Kissel sat on the West Virginia Professional Charter School Board and the West Virginia Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.  ⁷

Donor Organizations

Achelis and Bodman Foundation (nonprofit)

Albert M. and Miriam Rodstein Foundation (nonprofit)

AmazonSmile Foundation (nonprofit)

Atkinson Family Foundation (nonprofit)

Bradley Impact Fund (nonprofit)

Bridget Rose Foundation (nonprofit)

Claremont Institute for the Study of Statesmanship and Political Philosophy (nonprofit)

Colegato Foundation Trust (nonprofit)

D.M. Schneider Foundation (nonprofit)

Dallas Jewish Community Foundation (nonprofit)

Donor Advised Charitable Giving (nonprofit)

DonorsTrust (nonprofit)

Einhorn Family Charitable Trust (nonprofit)

Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund (nonprofit)

Frankel Family Charitable Trust (nonprofit)

KPB Corporation (nonprofit)

Marin Community Foundation (nonprofit)

Mathis Pfohl Foundation (nonprofit)

Melvin S. Cohen Foundation (nonprofit)

Milwaukee Jewish Federation (nonprofit)

National Philanthropic Trust (nonprofit)

Pfizer Foundation (nonprofit)

Sarah Scaife Foundation (nonprofit)

Stephanie and Peter Nolan Foundation (nonprofit)

The 85 Fund (nonprofit)

Tronvold Foundation (nonprofit)

Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program (nonprofit)

William H. Donner Foundation (nonprofit)