Speak Up for Justice

Activities

On its website, Speak Up for Justice claims that the American judiciary is “under unprecedented attack” and advocates for a “national movement” to defend an “independent judiciary.”  ¹

Speak Up for Justice’s primary activity is hosting web-based events it claims provide educational materials on the judicial system while promoting grassroots action for activists and other advocates. Past speakers at these speaking events have included Judge John Coughenour, Judge Robert Lasnik, Judge John J. McConnell, the president of the Federal Bar Association Karoline Mehalchick, the former president of the American Board of Trial Advocates Andrea L’Verne Edney, and the previous president to the International Academy of Trial Lawyers Karen Burgess. Several speakers have also included international judges from Venezuela, and South Africa. ^{1 4}

According to Speak Up for Justice, additional past speakers at its events have included retired Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Anthony Kennedy, Judge Margaret McKeown, and North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson (D). ³

Leadership

Paul Kiesel is the founder of Speak Up for Justice. Kiesel is a partner at Kiesel Law LLP as well as a personal injury lawyer based in Beverly Hills, California. Kiesel was previously the president of the Los Angeles County Bar Association from 2015 to 2016, sat on the State of California Judicial Council Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee, was on the board of governors for the Consumer Attorneys of California and the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, was on the board of governors for the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, was the co-chair of the Open Courts Coalition, and was a senior fellow at the Litigation Counsel of America. ⁵

As of 2025, Kiesel has been the moderator of at least two featured speaking events organized by Speak Up for Justice including ”Global Risks to the Justice System – a Warning to America” and “Judges Break Their Silence: Attacks, Intimidation, and Threats to Democracy.” ^{4 1}

According to data from the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Kiesel has previously donated to the campaigns of Democratic Party-connected campaigns and organizations. These include $29,200 donated in 2018 towards the gubernatorial campaign of then-California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom (D), $25,600 in 2009 as well as $15,000 in 2010 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), and $10,000 to the Democratic Party of California in 2022. FEC data also shows Kiesel donated to the American Association for Justice PAC, the political action committee (PAC) of the American Association for Justice.  ^{4 2  6}