Mission of the AHLC

Despite the Humanist movement’s long history of using the courts to stand up for our rights, no Humanist group has ever had more than a handful of lawyers assisting with the process. To address this, and to ensure that our constitutional rights are represented in court, the American Humanist Association launched the Appignani Humanist Legal Center (AHLC) in 2006.

Through amicus activity, litigation, and other legal advocacy, our team of cooperating lawyers, including Humanist luminaries such as Jim McCollum, Wendy Kaminer, and Michael Newdow, provides legal assistance to defend the constitutional rights of religious and secular minorities by directly challenging clear violations of the Establishment Clause and seeking equal rights for humanists, atheists and other freethinkers.

Click here to learn about AHLC staff.